


In The Dark: Runaway

by pinkjichu



Category: BLACKPINK (Band), EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Werewolves, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-03-29 15:59:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 28
Words: 90,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13930422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkjichu/pseuds/pinkjichu
Summary: For werewolves like us, our world revolves in finding our "destined partner". We are born, we grow up, we learn to shift without pain and we mature. The rest of our lives is about finding our mates, believing they will bring us peace and happiness.Today, the destiny is making fun of me since my supposed salvation... is the same who gave me my hell.





	1. Prologue.

_\- I curse you with the moon as my witness. You will live like the beast you are. You will obey every word that comes from my mouth. Until the day I leave this house. -_

Those are the last words I hear before I faint.  
I open my eyes. I was expecting to open them and be at home, to be outside. I was expecting what happened had been nothing but a nightmare. I was wrong.  
I look at my surrounding noting I'm still trapped in this cage. My body feels in pain for all the efforts I made to escape this place. I'm also feeling dizzy and numb.  
I should shift but I'm tired.  
\- It's him. Look at him! He's still weak. -  
I turn to the voice and I find two strange looking women observing me. One of them has pink hair and the other almost white. They are similar. The same cold gaze and evil smile.  
\- Is he weak from the curse or from touching her? -  
\- I don't know. But it's impressive she can do this when she's just a child. -  
I don't understand what they mean. I can't figure our their words yet.  
I try to focus my eyes but it's impossible. My head's spinning.  
\- Do you think we should tell Hye Ri about this? -  
\- Of course not! She'll try to burn us alive if she finds out about this. -  
I want them to stop talking.  
I close my eyes.

 

*******  
It's been several days. I'm not feeling numb anymore. I'm standing but still too tired to shift.  
The truth is, I have tried to do it and I keep failing. I want to believe I'm still weak and recovering. After all, it is a painful transformation.  
I'm starving. I've been locked up for a week now. The same time I haven't eaten any food.  
The door opens. I hear footsteps coming from the stairs and when I see the figure approaching, I step forward growling with anger. I don't stop not even when I feel the pain for touching the silver bars of the cage.  
\- Stop it. - she says in a firm tone. I stop. I really stop although I didn't mean to do it.  
She smiles. I would like to erase that smile with my claws. I have never wanted to hurt somebody, especially a young girl. But she's not someone ordinary. She's a witch. The witch who cursed me.  
\- This will be the last time you growl at me. -  
I want to growl once more but I stay frozen.  
\- Sit down. Lower your head. - Her words sound like orders and I obey like if I was obliged to. Every single word she said was a command and I was forced to do it. That's when I understand it.  
I'm boiling inside. I didn't want to beilive it and at the same time I already knew it. I felt it and knew it since that moment.  
To prove her power she puts a plate in front of me.  
\- Eat. I need you to be healthy. -  
I do what she says again.

 

*******  
It's been weeks since I was captured. I wonder if Sehun ran away. I wonder if the pack searched for me. I'm sure they did. It's useless. They won't be able to enter here or to even find this place.  
I stopped trying to escape a long time ago. It wasn't my decision. She told me not to, so I don't go near the silver that hurts me. I stay away. I stay still.  
The door opens and I know who it is. I recognize the scent. Jasmin.  
\- We'll take a walk today. -  
She opens the gate and comes closer putting a leash on me.  
The first time she did it, I felt my dignity slipped away. I felt my human side falling to his knees laughing hysterically. I felt my animal side rolling on the floor in shame.  
I keep my head up today and I allow her do what she has to do. I don't have a choice.  
She doesn't have to bend over to put it on me, I am almost as tall as her. I'm older. In my human form, I'd be a lot taller than her.  
It's dark. We always go outside at night. We walk following the walls protecting this place. We always stop at a big gate that is closed everytime. We stare at it for a while and then we move on.  
She lets me run and I do it freely leading the way.  
I'm starting to see her in a new light.  
I stop short when I see the figure hiding in the shadows. It's a tall redhead woman.  
\- Jisoo! - she calls.  
I can feel her tension when she hears her name. She stays by my side.  
\- Is this your little secret? A new pet? - The strange woman's question sounds incredulous and cynical. She gets closer and puts her hand on my head. I can feel heat and when I turn I see flames coming from her hands. I see her face, her eyes are red with yellow sparks. It's a little frightening.  
\- It wasn't a secret, aunt Hye Ri. It was a surprise. -  
\- It'll be competing then?  
\- Yes. I've been training him for it. -  
\- What' s its name? -  
My name is Kim Jongin. I feel a wave of satisfaction saying it in my mind. If I could talk, I'd say it loud and clear. I'd scream: I have a name, I am human, I have a family and friends. I am not just an animal. Not being able to do it frustrates me. But I can't do anything to change that. She answers for me instead.  
\- His name is Kai.

 

*******  
\- What are you like in your human form Kai? Are you tall? I bet you are. -  
She talks a lot. I would've never guessed it. She talks about herself. She's fifteen years old. She was born on January 3rd. I'm one year older. She likes the color blue. She wants to go to the human world and have coffee there. She wants to dance.  
She talks about her aunts. There are four of them. Hye Ri, the eldest. She has red hair and her power is to manipulate the elements. Fire is her favorite. The second aunt's name is Se Ri. Her power is telekinesis. Next is Ma Ri. Power: Healing. Lastly it's Jae Ri, who can change her appearance to anything she wants.  
Her mother Woo Ri passed away many years ago.  
She talks about her cousin. Hae Ra. She's blind.  
She talks about her own power. Force field. No one can touch her and not feel pain by doing it.  
I can. The first time she wanted to pet me she ordered me to not feel pain so I don't feel it.  
She talks about her childhood without her parents. Lonely. Sad. I want to tell her my life was like that for awhile. I want to tell her I was an orphan, too.  
She talks a lot and I don't care. I can listen to her for hours. Her voice is relaxing. She calls me Kai and I love it.  
I lean my head on her lap and she smiles.  
I'm starting to fall for her.

 

*******  
\- I want to see you. - she says softly. She has some clothes folded in her arms. She stands in front of me.  
\- I want to see you. Shift. -  
I start to feel the familiar sensation of the change. The uncomfortable feeling and the pain are welcome now.  
I was right. I am taller. I watch her step up and she gives me the clothes to cover me. Her cheeks blush. I'd laugh if I could do it. That wasn't her order.  
\- It can't hurt. - she reminds me before touching my hair, my face and my hands.  
There is no pain. It's something different. It's like a tickling. I have never felt something like it before. I like it. 

 

*******  
I am no longer locked in a cage. I can wander around in this basement without restrictions. The door opens. She comes again.  
I get excited when I see the clothes she brings along. She'll make me shift again. She does it twice a week. She comes with clothes to cover me and makes me shift so she can see me as a human.  
She wanted to dance. She dances with me. She holds me and touches my face fascinated to be able to do it and not have her power in between.  
She laughs with me. She laughs at me. It's the best sound in the world.  
She comes closer. She brushes her lips against mine. Her first kiss, she claims. It's my first kiss, too.  
She sleeps resting her head on my shoulder. She tells me I smell nice, that I give her warmth. She says she feels safe and not afraid with me. She says she doesn't want to be here anymore. She's scared of her family. They do tests on her. They experiment on her by her aunt's command.  
She calls me Kai.  
She shows me the necklace she wears all the time. She can only curse with it in her possesion. It's her lucky charm. It's a talisman. She says my curse will break when she leaves and she wants to go far away. I'll take her with me.  
I love her.

 

*******  
She kissed me again today. She says she likes the way I look. I like her.  
She was crying. She was hurt. She hates when they use her power to absorb other curses. She's the only one who can do it. It's not supposed to hurt her but it does. She's hurt and she cries in hiding. She cries in front of me.  
\- Why don't you leave? - I ask in my mind.  
She answers as if she could hear me. She can't leave this place. She's trapped like me.  
We go outside to take a walk. It's dark. I'm in my human form. She walks beside me holding my hand. She leads the way now.  
She watches everything, she takes a breath and she feels the wind. I watch her.  
She's pretty. Her hair it's dark and long. Her eyes are big and bright when she smiles. She always smile when she sees me.  
She didn't order me to do it, but I can smile back.  
It surprises her. She likes it. My smile. She calls my name. Kai.  
She says she loves me.

 

*******  
It's the first time I am outside during the day. The sun it's not as bright as it is back in my hometown. It's cloudy. It's like this place shouldn't have light.  
\- It's time, Kai. -  
Her voice makes me come back to reality and I can focus on what's in front of me. There is a land circle in the center of the garden surrounded by a fence. People start to get close as if they're waiting for a show to begin.  
I can smell them before I can even look. Cursed werewolves like me. They look different. They look like they were in a frenzy.  
Each of them is led by the witches in leashes like mine. Behind them there are other sorcerers. I can know because of the eyes but they are different.  
\- What kind of werewolf is that? I've never seen one like it. - says one of them looking at me with shinning eyes. He's tall, thin and young. We're probably around the same age.  
\- Kai is a special wolf. - sheanswers.  
\- It's too big. - he replies.  
\- It's not the size what matters but the strenght and ability, Sun Woo. - interrupts another one. He's older. He has a patch on his right eye and smiles devilishly. I recognize him. He's the one that captured me.  
\- He's strong. He can endure the pain of my touch, sir Hyun Woo . - she answers proudly and I feel pleasure hearing her.  
\- Then we just have to prove its ability. Let's start with it. -  
She takes me to the center of the circle removing the leash. When I see the others going to their positions and the growls of the others werewolves can be heard loudly, that's the moment I understand what's happening. I step back but I can't go. I am forced to stay in my place, to stay unmoving in her presence.  
\- Fight well and strong. Beat them all. - This time her voice is cold just like her gaze. It's the same expression they all have. Evil. Cold.  
I feel a sting in my chest.  
Am I feeling betrayed? Yes, I am. All this time what I believed to be friendship and love was nothing but a big charade. It was all for this. For her amusement.  
What did you expect? She's a witch. It's in her nature. To be evil. To be manipulative and heartless. Why were you so stupid?  
My inner wolf growls and my human side screams inside. Don't do it.  
The first wolf I face is not competition for me. I beat him in a couple of minutes. I just had to break his neck with a bite.  
The second is a little more complicated. He's more agile. He's trying to worn me out to win but it's not working. I break his neck too.  
The third. The fourth. The fifth. The Sixth. The Seventh. They all die in minutes. I am bigger, stronger and I am still rational. They seem to be just animals. So I can see their weaknesses even before the battle begins and I use them against them.  
I can hear the laughter and cheering from the crowd. They're enjoying the show. I want to vomit. I think I'd pass out any moment. I have never done anything like this. At home, I trained with the pack. I hurt them and they hurt me but it was part of the training. This is a massacre. A massacre I have to continue because she ordered me to.  
I face the last one. He's growling louder. I can tell he's well trained. He was probably the victor in every competition. Not today.  
The battle lasts longer. I'm tired, disgusted and hurt. I think of letting him beat me. To let him kill me and end with this misery but my body gets up everytime I fall to the ground.  
\- Kai!. - I hear her scream my name and the burning grows. I must obey. I must win.  
I throw myself to the opponent sinking my teeth in his neck breaking it. He can't do anything. A whimper is the only thing that can be heard. He falls dead.  
I walk away feeling the sticky blood on my skin and pieces of meat in my mouth. I walk slowly towards her. Towards my owner.  
I won.

 

*******  
There was another battle today. I fought ten more. There will come others tomorrow. I must be some kind of attraction. They want to see me fight with my "own kind". They're impressed by my strenght and ability.  
They want to buy me. I've heard them talk. She refuses. She calls me her property. I belong to her. She has given me a name. She won't sell me off.  
The man with the patch has offered to train me. She said yes this time.  
He comes everyday. He watches me. He hurts me. His teaching methods are a joke. It's physical punishment disguise as training routine. It amuses him because werewolves and witches have always been enemies.  
She doesn't say anything. She sees my torture and she keeps silence.  
I'm starting to hate her.

 

*******  
I was marked today. I refused to train and I was punished because of it. I was beaten. I was attacked by his beasts. I must learn my place, he said.  
She agreed to it. I deserved it, she told me.  
I lost all my strength. I can barely open my eyes. I can't move. The pain is unbearable.  
I hear someone crying but I don't know who it is. I don't care. I think it's me.

 

*******  
I am no longer in the basement. I'm at the cages along with the cursed ones.  
They don't rationalize anymore. I tried to communicate with them but all they do is mutter inapprenhensible. I'll become like them soon. Without thoughts.  
I still fight. It's all I can do. I've killed so many I can't even keep track anymore. Am I a murderer? Yes, I am. They were my age or younger. Some of them were female, too.  
It's her fault. She made me do it. She asked me to be the best, to beat them all. It's what I do, although I don't see her now. She doesn't come here anymore. She doesn't watch me train. I don't know where she is but she has forgotten me. I'll forget her too.  
I hate her. 

 

*******  
I was marked again today. I refused and I was chastised.  
My arm is broken. I don't feel anything.  
There is emptyness in me. In my mind. I'm beginning to lose sanity. I have illogical thoughts.  
I dream of black shadows, pain and crying.  
It's them. The souls of the werewolves I've killed. They come to mock me. They enter my mind and I can't be at ease.  
I used to know what day it was. I don't know today. I can't tell apart the day from the night. It looks the same. Everybody looks the same.  
I want to die. 

 

*******  
I don't know what's happening. There is fire everywhere. I shifted to my human form. I can open the cage and get out. I still don't know what's happening but I know I have to leave by instinct. I feel I can do it today.  
I open the cages of the rest. They're still in their animal form and they run away. I leave them behind.  
I'm not in a hurry. I feel nothing. The heat from the fire doesn't bother me. I have one thing on my mind. Go back home.  
I walk slowly in the shadows following the same path I used to walk with her so many times.  
I find the door I was looking for with no trouble but I find it open. There is something on the ground. The necklace with the blue gem she always had with her. Her power to curse.  
I understand it now. She's gone. The curse it's broken. I can escape.  
I take the talisman and put it on me. It's not to remember her but to remember everything. I'll need it one day.  
Crossing the gate I feel a rush of adrenaline through my body and I start running. I run for kilometers without stopping. I start to recognize the places I see. I am close.  
A smile spreads across my face when I see the gate to what has been my home. The big trees welcome me and I shift again. It's gratifying to do it at my pleasure. I let the beast to rejoice for being back. I run faster without looking back.  
I shift once more when I reach my house. I scream loudly while I laugh hysterically. I did it. I came back.  
The door opens and five people who I thought I'd never see again come close to me.  
\- Jongin, you came back. -  
\- I knew you were alive, Jongin. -  
\- It's been two years, Jongin, are you okay? -  
\- What did they do to you, Jongin? -  
\- I am glad to see you, Jongin. -  
I want to answer to all of them. I have so much to tell them. I have so much to ask. Instead, my first words are:  
\- My name is Kai. - 


	2. Just Another Day.

**Seven years later.**

Hye Ri wears a long black dress covering all of her body. If humans could see her, they wouldn't doubt what she is. A clear depiction of a witch. The same witch from legends and fairy tales. She was the eldest of her sisters and she will turn five hundred years. Yet, she looks thirty years old.   
\- This will not work either. Kill it. - she says with a firm tone as she stares at the experiment #129 while he is writhing in pain. He was out of control. He couldn't understand what was happening to him. In a couple of minutes he'll start attacking himself.  
\- These dirty dogs are not made for this. They don't have what it takes. - claims the young man standing next to Hye Ri with his disfigured face.  
No. They don't have what it takes, Hye Ri agrees. At least she hasn't found the one who could. She needed to find who could be a werewolf and a witch hybrid.  
The human science did wonders with genetics and there was no reason why she could not use it in her favour. The magic creatures. The immortals. They all could use it in their favour. And that's exactly what happened. Years ago, the experiments began. First it was just a way for the less powerful witches to expand their powers. It didn't work. The main purpose was always to create the hybrids. Witches and vampires mixing their genes to become stronger and more dangerous.   
It took time for the experiment to work. Sun Woo, the young witch with his deformed face was an example. His power wasn't the greatest so losing it in exchange of more strength wasn't a big deal. But they had a weakness. The sun.   
Now, the intention was to create a werewolf with a witch gene. There weren't any good results just yet.   
\- We should stop this. It's more than enough with us. - Sun Woo tried to sound convincing but he couldn't fool her.  
Hye Ri was tempted to say yes. She could continue her plans with the existing hybrids but she knew it wasn't enough. It was time to forget her ego and accept a truth she never wanted to do.   
\- We won't stop. - was her final answer. - There is a way to make it. There is a way to make them endure the experiment. -   
\- And what is that way? - Sun Woo asked with a tired voice.   
\- Very simple. We just have to find Jisoo. -

 

**Jisoo.**

Something is following me. It's getting closer. I try to get away. I run feeling the wind on my face.  
I start running faster. I can barely see. The darkness covers everything. I look up trying to see the moon but is not there.  
When I turn to the front I see a different road. I'm in the woods. There are a lot of big trees everywhere. I've been here before. The thought brings a smile to my face.  
I stop when I see a huge dog in the center. Its blue eyes stare at me directly and it stays still. When it moves and turns around I realize it's not a dog. It's a wolf.  
Giving me its back, it transforms into a human in my eyes. His legs are long. He's tall. His hair falls back and he's wearing a black jacket that matches the rest of his clothing. He's a stranger but I've seen him before. In antoher dream, perhaps? It doesn't matter because I'm not afraid.  
I walk slow and carefully to him. He's facing the other side but his body language tells me he knows I'm near. I stop, stretching my arm to touch him before I take the last step.  
I should walk away but I don't. I lead my arm until I touch him. He turns around.  
I open my eyes.  
\- Good, you woke up. It's almost time. -   
Jin's uncaring voice who others judge as him being bored and uninterested, it's something I've become accustomed to hear.  
\- You should've woke me up earlier and save me from the nightmare I was having. -   
\- Really? You looked so peaceful I wouldn't have guessed it. - I turn to see his face expecting to find him smirking but I can see he's telling the truth.   
That's weird.  
\- Besides, - he continues looking at me with a serious expression. - I couldn't take such pleasure from you. -   
This time his voice sounds bitter and I don't blame him. I can't imagine what it is to spend a hundred years with no sleep. I don't think he remembers what it felt to be human and be able to do it.   
\- Are you ready? - I ask changing the subject. I take clothes from the closet to change. The same options- Striped blouses, dark pants and jackets. I grab the first thing I find and go to the bathroom to get ready.   
\- Always. - Jin answers when I go out.   
\- Let's get going then. - I say with a not so much enthusiastic voice. I stop by the window to see the hiding moon in the cloudy night.   
Just another day.

 

*******  
"The underworld" it's an attractive name for the humans who want to have fun but it's a proper name for a place where witches gather around. It's a place for the runaways. A place to be safe. And it's the perfect place for my business. They call it "magical exchanges".  
\- The information you're giving is not enough. - I say with a sharp voice.  
The witch sitting in front of me makes an angry face.   
\- It's all I got. -   
He sounds desperate. They all do. My business it's not a charity work.  
\- What is your power? - I ask trying to find something useful since all the clients for tonight were a waste of time.  
\- Fire. I can do fireballs. - he answers lowering his head.   
\- You can make fireballs and you want protection? - Jin interjects with the same question. Why would he need protection if he has that power? Usually, the witches who come here looking for protective amulets don't possess powers that would save them form dangerous situations. Or their powers have been erased. He gives me the answer.  
\- It's too weak now. I was... part of the experiments. It didn't work. It was the opposite actually. - He shows me his arm where the mark with the shape of a flame has a black spot now.   
Yes. That's the least of the consequences the experiments can leave on you.   
I put my hand above his mark for a couple of seconds before I take it back. Snapping my fingers a ball of fire appears on my hand. It's weak and it disappears quickly.   
\- I'm sorry for your loss. - I ask him to leave. He looks at me with his mouth wide open instead.   
\- You can do that, too? I thought your power was protection. Who...who are you? - I ignore him since I already lost too much time on him. Jin stands next to the witch.   
\- Your time it's over. It's time to leave. - he says with demanding voice. The witch understands he needs to go and looks my way before he walks through the door.   
Jin and I are left alone. I use the free time to get up and go to the back part of the basement we're in. I come close to the bar where the liquor bottles form a rainbow.   
\- This night was sure a waste. - Jin follows me finishing his drink.   
\- I know. I think we're done for tonight. -  
\- Then I'll go to take a walk. Will you be okay on your own? - he smiles when I look at him with a strange expression. - Alright. I'll see you at home. -   
He bids goodbye and goes. I don't need to ask anything. It's his way to survive and it isn't my place to ask. He's a vampire after all. He needs to eat. He needs blood.   
The night is young and any other day I would've gone upstairs to dance a little with the loud music the humans love so much. Not tonight.  
I can't get out without going through the club. When I do the other witches at the corner stare at me. They can feel something different about me. But they can't see it here.   
The humans don't know what it is but they can feel it. They keep their distance.  
In any case, the force field protecting me it's always activated. I don't trust in anything. I don't trust anybody. So I never learned to control it.  
I reach the exit and I close my eyes when I feel the rain on me. I enjoy the moment. I walk a few blocks without paying attention to the people looking at me. They always do. I always ignore them.  
However tonight, two men watch me from the other side of the street. There is something off about them that it's easy to tell. The rain doesn't bother them and they watch every step I make. My body tightens and I turn around ready to get away. I hear them follow me and I start running.  
\- She saw us! Go get her! - one of them screams and from the darkness other strange looking men appear. I was wrong. They're not men. They're beasts. I've seen them before. In my world. I know why they came here. I know what they want from me so I run as fast as I can.  
It's two in the morning on a rainy night. The streets are empty what gives them the opportunity to run in the strange way they do. Like animals. It makes them run slower but they're close so I start to feel panic.  
Where are you Jin?   
From all the nights he could've chosen to go hunting, it had to be the night our biggest fear came true. They cross to the human world as well.  
I halt when I find myself on a dead end. It's too dark. My night vision is not good and the clouds cover the only source of light I could use.   
They stop, but, they don't come close to me. It's because of my power. They know they can't touch me. They are what they are but my power can hurt them so I use it as my last tool of survival. I face them defiant.   
\- Come closer! Do it! - I scream firm. They don't. They stay in their places watching me with red eyes.   
Right in the middle one of them steps up allowing the dim light to hit his face. I smile bitterly when I see him. His face looks different but I still can recognize him. Even though he's disfigured. He seems bigger and rough.   
\- I should have known it was you. Sun Woo. -   
\- It's nice seeing you again, Jisoo. It's been awhile since the last time I had the pleasure to see you. - his voice sounds fake.   
\- What do you want? - I try to seem indifferent but I am a little frightened.   
\- You already know. Hye Ri wants you back. We all want you back. - his emphasis in "we" makes me feel disgusted. Since we were kids, Sun Woo always showed an interest in me. I didn't. I could never feel more than fear and dislike for him.  
\- I don't want to go back because I don't want to die. - I answer softly. If I do go back, I will die for sure unless I have my talisman in my hands once more.   
Hundreds of years ago, there was a witch whose greediness of power made her curse her own family. A forbidden act. The witches were punished by the Gods who captured the power to curse in a talisman chosen to each of us. As the time passed, some witches lost them along with the ability to curse. Only one family kept theirs. Mine. I lost my talisman years ago. I spend my time looking for it.   
\- You belong with your family, Jisoo. Not here with the humans. -  
\- Go to hell. - I turn around wanting to leave. Sun Woo steps closer but stops when I look at him challenging like I always did. He knows very well the pain he'd feel if he touches me. He learned it the hard way.   
\- I didn't want to do this but you didn't leave me a choice. - he pulls out of his pocket a tiny container.   
\- Where did you get it? - I sound desperate now. All this time I was confident because I knew the force field protected me. Seeing the antidote in Sun Woo's hands makes me lose my peace.   
\- My father kept them. Can you believe it? That old witch was useful after all. But he was dead when I found him. -  
I don't care the way he speaks about his father. They were both the same. Greedy. Evil. Traitors. It scares me what he said about more than one antidote. I am shaking now.   
I don't waste more time and start running when he gets distracted. They start chasing me again. I look back without stopping and I see Sun Woo carrying a gun. He's going to shoot me.  
I wish I had Jin's ability to vanish in this type of situations but wishing won't help me. Knowing this place it's my advantage and I easily find the road leading to a woods. I can hide here.   
Soon, I start hearing strange noises coming from the trees. I get to the center where there is a free space and I stop when I see a pair of blue eyes shining in the dark. It seems familiar but it's almost impossible.   
The animal in the dark steps closer and I see his full shape. It's a big black wolf. I really do think it's not the first time I see him.   
I don't give it much thought when I feel Sun Woo getting near so I run to the beast. Something tells me it's my best option. I am almost there when I feel my skin burn. The bullet with the antidote inserts in my shoulder. I fall to the ground immediately.  
I hear voices not so far away. There are shouting. It seems a fight it's taking place. I'm too weak to open my eyes and see what's happening. I don't really care. I'm going to die anyway.  
\- What and why did they shoot her? - claims a voice from my right side. There are no other sounds.   
\- I don't know. - that voice it's louder. My body reacts and it makes me shiver. I don't understand.  
\- I didn't think we'd see the hybrids here but they seem to be looking for her as well. -  
I can tell there are five people because of their voices. The antidote it's working. Somebody touches my forehead and feels no pain.   
\- I guess what they shoot her does something to her power... -   
\- Yes. The antidote shuts off my power for weeks. They can touch me. They can hurt me. - I answer with a low voice. I shouldn't say it. Everything I say makes me more vulnerable. Whoever they are, they're my enemies, too. They are werewolves. However, the antidote confuses me before making me lose consciousness so I don't control what I'm saying.   
I notice my comment surprises them.  
\- It was destiny then. - says the same deep voice from moments ago. The one that gives me goosebumps.   
He's not saying to me. They were looking for me and they obviously want something from me.   
I reach with my hand to the place that voice comes from but I can barely move. I try to open my eyes. At least I want to see if I'm about to die.  
When I open my eyes I have trouble to see well as I'll soon faint. But when I can see him, my hands shake and my mouth dries.  
It can't be. It's impossible.  
\- Kai? - I ask. My voice cracks.  
Suddenly, the face of my dream begins to take shape. It's the same face in front of me.  
Yes. It was destiny. 


	3. Break A Curse.

**\- Jisoo. -**

I wake up with a headache and feeling disoriented. My shoulder burns telling me it was all real. My blue aura, my force field it's gone and that's the confirmation. I try to get up but I am still weak. I can only sit up. I observe the place taking note in the little cell I'm in. The rest looks clean. I don't think it's an usual place to bring captives.   
I start to feel uneasy for what this could mean. I thought Sun Woo didn't catch me yesterday but finding myself locked up says otherwise. The tests they did to me years ago worked. The antidote makes me vulnerable and I could be easily killed now.   
I escaped to the human world trying to hide and protect myself. I managed to do it so far with Jin's help. I can't stay longer. I have to get out of here.  
Suddenly, I remember. The wolf. The wolf who looked like him.   
There isn't much time to think. The door opens and I hear footsteps getting closer. I go to the corner of the cell. My sight is blurry from the drug and I'm trying to concentrate to see better. The silhouette tells me it's a man.  
\- Good morning, Jisoo. - he says with his deep voice. There's the sensation of familiarity and tickling again.  
I rub my eyes to see him and then my heart falls to my feet. The owner of the voice walks slow while staring directly at me.   
It can't be. It's impossible he's here.  
I'm feeling dizzy. My head's spinning and I can't believe what I'm seeing. It looked like a dream the night before. Like a fantasy. He's standing right there now.  
When he sees I recognize him, he comes closer with determination. He stops and his face changes. He looks confused. His cold expression appears again in just an instant. It's not the same as before. The soft and warm gaze that made me feel safe it's not there anymore.  
I'm frozen. Shocked for seeing someone I never thought I'd get to see again. Why would I have expected to see someone I believed to be dead?   
He looks different of course. More mature. His features have hardened but it's the same face. He's grown a few centimeters more. His body looks bigger and stronger. I'm taking my time looking at him and he's doing the same thing. He looks at me from head to toe. His eyes go from surprise to disbelief until the coldness takes over again.  
I want to get close to him. I'm about to do it. I want to feel him, to touch his face and hug him. I want to do it but I hide any sign of happiness at the sight of his attitude and his burning gaze.  
\- It's been a while. - he continues.  
His voice is deep and severe. It's my first time listening to it. I spent years whishing I did just once. Be able to hear it now just to have a hole in my stomach shocks me. I'm not ready for this.  
\- Things do change, right? - he smirks making a gesture to the cell. It was on purpose. To lock me up.  
Four more people enter the room in that moment. It's the four voices I heard last night. I did knew that black wolf. I saw him before. Many times.   
\- Good morning, Miss Jisoo. My name is Chanyeol. I'm sorry these are the circumstances to introduce myself but there was no other way. -   
He's a tall man. He looks kind of sad but his tone is nice. He doesn't seem to like having me in a cell.   
I turn to the other three. One is tall with a long face and dark hair. He's hostile towards me. The other is shorter with big eyes. His stare is very strong. The last one has brown hair and mischievous eyes but serious at the same time.   
\- What do you want? - I ask with my cold and firm tone. The one I'm so proud of. The one I was taught. From the corner of my eye I see Kai smirking. I shrink a little. I'm intimidated but I can't show it.  
To the rest my attitude surprises them. Maybe they thought I'd be shaking in fear. Or maybe they can tell what I'm feeling inside.   
Don't show it, Jisoo. Never show your weakness.  
\- We want you to break a curse. - the big eyes answers.  
I didn't see that one coming. Out of all the reasons a werewolf could ask for a witch's help, I wouldn't have expected that answer.   
I start laughing of how absurd it sounds. I'm laughing out of nervousness and for everything that happened. It's too much to process. But I am glad Hye Ri isn't involved in this.  
\- This isn't the time to be laughing you evil witch. - says the hostile and handsome guy.   
He gets angry and transforms in a wolf growling at me. Kai gets in the way putting distance between the two of us. He says something to the others that I can't hear.  
\- Sehun, please calm down. - one of them pushes the wolf to the back.  
\- This won't work. - says another.  
The playful one who had been quiet all this time steps up. He stands between the cell and the grey wolf.   
\- Listen herem little girl. We don't have much time and we really need you. We know very well you can break curs...  
\- I don't care what you think you know. - I cut him off. I try to be as aggresive as I can be. It's the only way to hide my fear.   
\- I don't have the intention of helping you. -  
I answer haughtily. I don't know where this confidence is coming from, specially when I see Kai gritting his teeth. He's raging. He gets close to the fake cell and grabs my arm pulling me to him. I hit myself with the bars but it doesn't hurt. His action surprises me more. It's not the first time he touches me but it is the first with such violence.   
\- Listen to me because I won't say it again. The rules are simple. You're the captive and I'm the owner. You'll do what you were told if you don't want to suffer a slow and painful death. Because I assure you any of us can kill you and we will if we have to. Or maybe we just need to give you to the hybrids and they'd do the rest. -  
The fire in his eyes could burn down this place. If looks could kill, I'd be dead by now. I stay still rubbing my wrist where he grabbed me. I had been threatened before and even though I felt scared, this time I feel pain.  
Because it's him.  
The others stay quiet for a couple of seconds staring at each other uncomfortable.   
\- Like we said, we need your... power to break a curse. When you do it, we will let you go. -  
Says the one named Chanyeol as he looks to the ground. He still seems sad, even more with Kai's outburst.   
Truth be told, their insistence made me curious to know who or what was cursed. But my pride is hurt. I turn around and reach the wall behind me, sitting in the same place I woke up. I cross my legs and stare at them.  
\- You're wasting your time. Do what you have to do because I won't help you. -   
I answer with my eyes set on Kai. My expression is challenging. I don't want to die but they won't tell me what to do either.  
Liar. You're terrified. Just say yes and we can go back home. Go back to Jin.  
Kai steps closer.  
\- I'll give you a couple of days for you to think about it. -   
He walks away followed by his pack. I can't stop looking at him. Something's stopping me. It's been eight years since the last time I was in front of him. I'm still shocked to see him. If things had been different, I would've hold him telling him how happy I was to see him. I would've asked so many questions. How much longer was he in that place? What happened to him? How had he been all this time?   
Before he walks through the door, he allows the others to go out and turns one last time to where I am. I look down embarrassed for being caught. He doesn't care. He shuts the door after he leaves. 


	4. Wicked.

**\- Kai -**

\- What do you want? - she asks. Aggresive. Cold. The way she is. I can't help but smirk because of it. I see her shrink. She's intimidated. My wolf tenses up.  
I've been like this since yesterday. There was no need to see her when she left the bar to know it was her. Her scent was all I needed. Jasmin. The scent filled my senses more than before. It was enough to chase her and to know where she was running to without seeing her. There's a reason for it. I've matured. My inner wolf is more dominant. All of my senses are stronger.  
Still, it was kind of shocking to see her again. I felt like gravity pulling me to her. It's because I spent years looking for her, dreaming of the day I'd find her. Dreaming of the day I'd get the opportunity for revenge.   
All these emotions have a logical explanation except the fear and anger I felt when the hybrids were after her. Emotions that grew when I could see and feel her own fear. To be honest, I don't want to think about it. I don't want to think about the satisfaction to see her run to me almost as if she knew I'd save her.  
It wasn't difficult to find the "underworld" in the human world. It's a popular bar it seems. I wonder what would the humans feel if they discover the underworld is a hideout for witches.   
I wasn't sure I could find her there. My source of information was not what I would call reliable. But there she was. Right where Hyun Woo said she'd be.   
She's here now. And there's something that needs to be done before I kill her. I just have to wait. I waited seven years, I can wait a couple of days more. Besides, I have to help my pack first. That's how it is.  
Although I can't deny the fact she has to do something for me before killing her is a little satisfying. Poetic justice. That's why I built this cell. A reminder.   
\- We want you to break a curse. - Kyungsoo says.   
She starts to laugh. It's like this is a joke to her. My dislike for her grows and I am glad. It's so typical of her to laugh about a serious matter.  
\- This isn't the time to be laughing you evil witch. - Sehun feels angry like me and transforms immediately. He tries to get closer growling and ready to attack. I get in the way.  
I do it unwittingly and with no hesitation. Sehun and the rest are surprised by my action. I am surprised. It lasts for a second.  
\- I'll take care of it. - I say in a low tone. She can't hear me but the pack can. They nod their heads understanding. The pack has always known what my plans are. My obsession to find each and everyone responsible for turning me into a murderer.   
Chanyeol asks Sehun to calm dow and Kyungsoo gives up. Baekhyun takes a step after being quiet all along.   
\- Listen here, little girl. We don't have much time and we really need you. We know very well you can break curs...  
\- I don't care what you think you know. I don't have the intention of helping you. -  
My anger grows when she answers. I think I've kept it inside way too long. I can't suppress it anymore.  
I grab her arm pulling her to me with strenght. She hits herself with the bars and I flinch.   
\- Listen to me because I won't say it again. The rules are simple. You're the captive and I'm the owner. You'll do what you were told if you don't want to suffer a slow and painful death. Because I assure you any of us can kill you and we will if we have to. Or maybe we just need to give you to the hybrids and they'd do the rest. -  
I speak loud and clear. I want her to understand the roles have changed. She's the one trapped in an enemy land. Alone. In danger. In my hands.  
\- Like we said, we need your... power to break a curse. When you do it, we will let you go. -   
Yoo Rin can't know the lie Chanyeol told her but we can. She's not leaving this place, at least not alive.   
\- You're wasting your time. Do what you have to do because I won't help you. -   
She's being defiant. Everything from her body language to the look in her eyes shows confidence but I see something different. I know she's scared, so I decide to give her time.   
\- I'll give you a couple of days for you to think about it. -   
I walk to the door feeling her eyes on me. I'm feeling anxious. I have the urge to turn around but I shouldn't. I still do it before I leave and she looks away like she did a bad thing. Once again, I feel restless about it but I ignore it and walk out.  
\- She's a fucking bitch! Now I know why you hate her so much. - Sehun says after shifting back in the living room.  
\- I think she's just scared. We're five werewolves against her alone. - Chanyeol answers with his usual optimism. Sehun rolls his eyes.   
\- I don't know. I think I'm with Sehun on this one. - Baekhyun sits on the couch. - What do you think? -  
The question is for Kyungsoo but he just sits on a chair and shrinks his shoulders.   
\- She'll say yes. - The confidence in my voice doesn't go unnoticed. - We just have to kill her if says no. - I look away. I feel like I shouldn't look at them if I'm still feeling uneasy.   
\- If she refuses, what are we going to do about Suho? We can't leave him like that. - Kyungsoo finally says. None of us want to think about the possibility of not being able to help the leader. Our friend. Our brother.  
\- We'll find another way. - The same optimism in Chanyeol's voice makes Sehun nods his head this time. Like it was what he needed to hear. It's what we all need to hear.

 

*******  
It's been three days. I haven't gone to her since then. It's time for the first try. I go there with a plate of food. Chanyeol and Baekhyun had been bringing her food these days. I refused she recieved such privilege at first but they said it was too cruel. I didn't let it show I thought so, too.  
I open the door and I find her seated on the exact place where I left her as if she didn't move at all. She seems to smile when she sees me but is only for a second. I probably imagined it.   
Of course you did. Why would she be happy to see you?   
I bend over to her level putting the plate on the floor and pushing it to her.   
\- Did you have time to think? Do you realize this is your best option? - I want to sound indifferent but hopeful at the same time. I don't want her to suspect my real intentions.   
Jisoo doesn't say anything but something in me catches her attention. Her face changes drastically. Her eyes light up and she starts to crawl in a straight line to where I am. It's like she's under a spell. The lump in my chest gets bigger.  
She reaches with her hand to my neck and I lose balance falling back. I'm breathing heavily.   
She looks up losing whatever was happening to her but her attention goes back to the part of me that has all her interest.  
\- How did you get it? - she asks.  
My head's spinning. Having her so close is making her scent to be the only thing I can smell. I'm distracted and it takes me time to figure out what she's talking about. I look down and when I see the necklace it all makes sense.   
I remember clearly the day she spoke about it. How it worked as a conduct for the curses. It's what made me take it with me the day I escaped.  
-"I can't curse if I don't have it with me. It's what makes us special."-   
Those were the words I remember all the time. I knew she couldn't curse me or the pack when I suggested to bring her here to break the other curse. I knew it and somehow I forgot what it meant for her.  
\- This is what you were looking for, right? Your business in that bar and the information you ask so desperately is because of this necklace. The talisman. - I'm confident as I understand it all but I feel like an idiot for not doing it sooner.  
You had other things in mind.   
My rational voice makes fun of me. I don't care. Judging by her expression, I'm right.  
\- Let's make a deal. Break the curse and I'll give it back to you. -  
\- Where did you find it? - it's all she says with a hopeful tone. She's about to say yes.  
\- I found it there, in your home. It was on the ground by the gate. - I wasn't planning on telling her and I did it like a reflex. Like I was still under the influence of doing what she tells me to do. It makes me furious.  
\- The day I left. The day the curse must've been broken. - she's talking to herself more than to me. She's trying to remember. - Were you still there? -  
The look in her eyes freezes me. I didn't expect that. Not from her. Not anymore. The fragility she showed me so many times before she showed her true self. I thought she wouldn't waste her time trying to create compasion. Her attitude from days before was a proof.   
Do not fall for it. You did it once and look what happened.  
I get up and walk away wanting to put physical and emotional distance. She's an expert in manipulation. She's evil. I can't forget it.   
\- The deal. Take it or leave it. - I ignore completely her question. My resolution is firm like my voice.  
Jisoo watches me in silence. I see her mind working. She's calculating the advantages and disadvantages of the deal.  
\- Fine. I will. - She gets up and puts her hand out. I shake it. Shivers run through my body. It's not pain because her power is not working yet. Although I wouldn't know how intense the pain could be for touching her. It's not the tickling I felt years ago. It's something else.  
\- But you should know, once I have it in my hands, I'll curse you again for doing this to me. - she states. The strange color blue in her eyes appear again. Like the first time she cursed me. Her words are a promise. A warning.  
I smile bitterly for that. The fake human fragility is gone and the witch is back. The evil. The wicked. My smile changes to my victory smile because no matter what she says, she'll never have her talisman back in her hands.   
I'll kill you before that.  
I say my words in my mind. It's my promise in return. A promise I'll keep no matter what. 


	5. Jasmin.

**\- Kai -**

  
She watches the wolf growling at her. He's behind some bars that divide the room in two parts. He's angry he can't get out. The bars we built are stable enough to keep him there despite his constant attempts to escape but they're not made from silver. We didn't want to hurt him. He doesn't deserve it. There's also a lot of space for him to move around.  
Jisoo's expression remains unchanging since she's seen it thousands of times before. When she moves, the pack moves too by instinct. They're not so sure she won't hurt him. Honestly, I am not sure either. I remember when she talked about breaking curses that didn't work well but I was never present to see what it was. I don't know the process she has to follow to do it. I do know she would do anything to get her talisman back. Jisoo will have to help us if she wants her precious treasure.  
\- How long has he been like this? - she asks after a few minutes.  
\- Two weeks. - Chanyeols answers back. - It was during a confrontation with the hybrids. Only that day, a witch was with them. And this happened. -  
These two weeks were a disaster for all of us. We didn't know how we could help him at first. We weren't with him when he was cursed.  
She turns to us. The movement of her head makes the scent stronger.  
\- You fight them? The hybrids? -  
\- Of course we do. - Baekhyun says with pride.  
\- We must fight. We don't hide. - The sarcasm in my comment makes me get an angry glance from her.  
Later, her attention goes back to Suho. She seems to have a lot of thoughts regarding what she's observing. I would like to know what it is.  
\- This is a strange curse. - I tense up. _Strange?_  
\- What do you mean? - Kyungsoo asks with curiosity.  
\- I've never seen anything like it. He's not in a frenzy like the others. But he's not like... -  
\- Like the way I was? - I finish for her. The atmosphere changes. There is a lot of tension. Baekhyun steps forward.  
\- Does it change anything? Can you still break it? -  
\- It's just strange but I can do it - She answers.  
\- That's good to know. - Chanyeol says. - When can you start? -  
She looks at the wolf that keeps pounding on the bars.  
\- When you're willing to shed his blood. -  
We move quickly to her. Being so close to her again, the jasmin goes into me. Jisoo doesn't feel threatened and she stays still.  
\- I need a little bit of his blood. It can be a small wound. But we have to wait until the full moon. - she claims.  
\- Oh! That was close one. - Baekhyun sighs.  
\- Close one? How are you planning to get near Suho and cut him? - Sehun asks. He's right. It will be difficult to do it since Suho only growls and seems to be ready to attack us anytime soon. It was an adventure to bring him home from the witch world but we did it because he was weak from the curse. He was like me that first morning. After a few days, Suho recovered all of his strength and fury. It will most definitely be a challenge to get close without hurting him.  
\- I'll do it. - Jisoo walks to the door and I put my hand on her shoulder to stop her.  
\- You can't open the door just like that, he could... -  
I stay silent when I'm about to say he could hurt her. I don't know why I'm feeling concerned if killing her is the first thing I'd do after this ends.  
\- He could get out and attack us. It's dangerous. - I try to make it look it'd be dangerous for us like I didn't care if it is for her.  
\- He can't see. So he won't perceive me. - She answers surprising me.  
\- Why can't he see? -  
\- Why won't he perceive you? -  
Sehun and I say at the same time, although not the same question. She opts to answer him first.  
\- He can't focus his eyes. If he comes closer to you is because he can smell you. It's a consequece of this curse in particular. -  
\- They could see. - My memory of those days it's intact so I can know. They lost their rationality but not their senses. They lost their human side. What Jisoo is saying proves Suho was cursed differently like I was.  
\- It was another curse. - she says confirming my thoughts. - It doesn't matter. I can break it. -  
\- You didn't answer me. Why won't he perceive you? - I ask again with more persistence. She appears to be confused and going by the look on the pack's eyes, they are confused as well.  
\- Because he can't smell me. The antidote deactivates my force field but my smell is undetectable. Unless that changed over the years. -  
I'm frozen. My head has only one thought.  
_It's undetectable?_  
\- It didn't change. I can't smell you and we have an impeccable nose for that. - Chanyeol answers.  
\- I can't smell you either. - Baekhyun agrees.  
Sehun and Kyungsoo shake their heads indicating they also can't do it and that's the moment I feel I'm going to be sick. I'm feeling hot and I see red.  
\- We have to wait until the full moon to break.... - she continues.  
I turn around and I leave the room before it happens. I reach the front door when I shift.  
I run fast with no direction. I just know my inner wolf wants to run away as soon as possible. It's windy and the day is cloudy. It starts to pour. I don't care. I run and run.  
_\- "My smell is undetectable."-_  
I can't stop thinking of those words feeling the jasmin that comes from her still surrounding me.  
My mind is blurry like my vision. I can't understand it. The burning in my chest goes up to my throat. I let out a growl and I stop short suddenly.  
My head is spinning and I feel my body tremble when the discovery hits me in the face. I have been avoiding it. The truth. The fact that her scent seem so dominant. The strong feeling of wanting to get close when I saw her. The fact that she felt it, too.  
The way my wolf felt protective seeing Sehun going close to her. How I got in his way. And, what I couldn't deny the most, how I felt my soul leaving my body when she was shot and fell to the ground.  
Everything was a clear sign that she... she's my mate. It was so obvious and yet I kept refusing to accept it.  
You have to be kidding me.  
_-" Don't stay in the past. Look for your future. Look for your mate, she will make you forget it all." -_  
Suho and Chanyeol always said that to me. They have always wanted me to let go of my past. To leave my suffering and everything behind me. But it was so easy for them to say it. They didn't live it. They didn't lose two years of their lives captives or had to do what I did. They don't spend their nights with nightmares of battles, crying, and blood.  
I do.  
However, they didn't care. They said my mate would help me. For werewolves like us, our world revolves in finding our "destined partner". We are born, we grow up, we learn to shift without pain and we mature. The rest of our lives is about finding our mates, believing they will bring us peace and happiness.  
What a load of crap.  
That was my answer. I always made fun of our so called destiny because I wasn't proof it existed. My parent's weren't each other's mates so they were weak. That's why they left me.  
Today, the destiny is the one making fun of me since my supposed "salvation", is the same who gave me my hell. It's the one I swore to take revenge on. It's the one I swore to kill with my own hands. 


	6. Unlucky.

**\- Kai -**

 

I come home at midnight. I needed all the afternoon to completely assimilate my discovery. I'm still a little numb.   
\- Where were you? - Chanyeol greets me when I enter the living room. He returns to the conversation taking place before my arrival.  
\- Like I was saying, imagine if we could have the witch's power. To be invisible. - Baekhyun says with a spark in his eyes.  
I don't hear anything beside the mention of her.  
\- Where is she? - I ask.  
\- We took her back to her room. I didn't feel right about locking her up in that cell again, specially since she'll be staying with us for a while. - Chanyeol sounds sorry.  
The pack keeps discussing Jisoo's power.   
\- It's not being invisible. We, and the rest of her enemies can see her. - Kyungsoo argues.  
\- It would be in the dark. Remember how we almost lost her that night? We didn't because Kai's really fast.   
I grunt at that. It was so clear. The night Jisoo was running from the hybrids they seemed to lose her for a few minutes. I didn't. I knew every moment where she was going, getting there before anyone else did. It was all because of her scent.  
I hit the wall frustrated. It was so obvious. _Damn luck._   
My behavior does not go unnoticed. The pack stare at me confused.   
\- What's wrong, Kai? You're acting weird.- Chanyeol pats me on my shoulder.   
I don't say anything. I should tell them the truth but I am not ready yet. How could I be?   
There's isn't time for me to worry about it because Sehun speaks up.  
\- You can percieve it, can't you? You can percieve her scent. - It's a confirmation not a question. There's no point in denying it.  
I nod with my head and look down.  
\- I knew it! - he exclaims with his unreadable expression. It's not something to feel proud.  
\- What are you talking about? - Baekhyun asks.   
\- They're talking about the witch. - Kyungsoo answers him.  
A silence falls in the room when one by one start connecting the dots.   
\- That can't be. -  
\- I thought I saw something between you two. -   
\- You're an unlucky bastard. -  
The pack's reaction is what I was expecting except for Chanyeol. He smiles sincerely.  
\- Congratulations, Kai! You finally found your mate. -  
I glare at him. I know he and Suho have always dreamed of finding their mates and be happy ever after or whatever you do when you find them but this isn't the time to congratulate me.  
\- Have you lost your mind? Do I have to remind you who she is? Do I have to tell you again what happened eight years ago, what I did, and who was responsible for it? - My voice is loud. I'm anxious and a little volatile. - Do I have to name once again all of the people from our old home, whom I recognized and I didn't have any other option but to kill them without mercy?-   
I speak with a lower tone now. In my mind, the memories are still vivid. I start moving from side to side trying to supress them. I can't almost never do it. I have learned to live with them. I learned it isn't something I can erase from me. That's why I have the intention of relieving some of the pain by eliminating the people guilty of it. The man of the patch was the main target. And the last is Jisoo, my mate.  
We are all nervous. It was traumatic for them to hear everything the first time I could speak and tell it. When I mentioned so many of our old training classmates. When I talked of the ones that were at least ten years old. When I mentioned the females. When I talked of In Hye looking at Kyungsoo straight in the eye, was one of the hardest things I ever had to do.  
I still remember his face when I told him. He had kept faith in finding her after she was captured. The truth is, she was only in that place for two months before I fought with her. Before I did what I always did by Jisoo's command. To kill them all.  
Suho and Chanyeol longed and waited to mature and be able to find their mates. Kyungsoo never needed to do it. He and In Hye always knew they were each other's destiny. They just waited for the day they could spend eternity together. They loved each other since we were kids.   
The day I saw her in that place, I tried to communicate with her everyday through the cages but it was useless. She didn't recongnize me. She couldn't even listen to me. I could read her thoughts and most of them were illogical like the rest but there were some including Kyungsoo. For him, it was a comfort to know he was in her thougths, even when she was cursed and without rationality. He never blamed me for what happened. On the contrary, he tried to help me get over it.   
\- I know. We all know very well. But I also know things don't happen just because. It's a big coincidence Jisoo is here now, when you can know what she is to you. Out of all the people it could have been... -  
Chanyeol continues his speech of coincidences and destiny. I refuse to listen to him.  
\- She's here because another witch put us in this mess not for some coincidence. Suho is cursed now, do you know who did it? Someone from her family. One of her aunts probably. In fact, for several days I thought maybe she did it. But it doesn't matter, the point is that Jisoo, her family, and all of her damn species are the most evil things. That will never change. -  
I'm freaking out for everything and I'm breathing heavily. I'll shift again at this rate like an immature wolf who can't control himself. The worst part is that Chanyeol's words made me feel hope for a second. I wanted to believe him and get carried away that nothing in this world happens by accident.   
\- You were cursed. - Kyungsoo suddenly says. It takes us by surprise since he was quiet after I talked about the past. He was remembering In Hye.   
\- He's gone crazy. - Baekhyun comments watching him directly.   
\- You were cursed. - He repeats his words but this time he walks to the bookshelves behind me. - You were cursed and it had consequences. -   
He comes back and puts an old book on the table. He flips through the pages.  
\- What's that? -   
\- What are you doing? -  
\- I'm telling you he's gone crazy. -   
\- There's no time for this. -  
Kyungsoo doesn't answer any of our comments and continues flipping the pages until he finds what he's looking for.   
\- Here it is. Spells and curses. This page describes all of the werewolves that were put under spells. It was common back in the day apparently. Witches put spells on werewolves making them believe they were their mates. It was for fun and seduction. -  
\- Are you saying the witch put a spell on Kai to seduce him? - Sehun inquires and I don't say anything. I don't want them to know the idea didn't sound so bad.  
 _Stop it._   
My human side scolds me.   
\- No. Those were spells made by witches who have that power. But this part mentions curses and how they work differently from spells. The life or destiny of someone cursed changes because a connection is created between the cursed one and the witch responsible for it. -  
When we stay confused and in silence, Kyungsoo proceeds.  
\- It means that whatever Kai is feeling could be directly from the connection of the curse. And that, maybe she is not his real mate. -  
 _That makes more sense._  
 _Liar. You know it's not true._   
My human and inner wolf have a little argument. A special memory comes to my mind but I hide it deep inside. I don't want to think about it. It's easier to agree with what Kyungsoo said. It's easier to say she changed my life more than what I thought she did.  
\- That would be great. - Sehun agrees with me.  
\- But, is there a way to know? - Baekhyun says aloud what I want to ask.  
Kyungsoo looks at me for the first time. I can read regret in his eyes.   
\- The connection won't be broken until the witch dies. -   
There is the real coincidence. To kill her has always been in my plans and this connection only adds another reason for it. I'll kill Jisoo and then, I'll find my real mate.

 

**\- Jisoo. -**

Who made that curse?  
I've been thinking about this the whole day. It's been a long time since the last time I saw a cursed beast. Seven years ago actually, when I left that house. I was present for several curses since I was ten years old. There wasn't one like this.  
 _Your curse was different._  
 _It's not like this one either._  
 _Because the victim was Kai. He was special._  
I suddenly think about him. The wolf that messes with my head. I would like to believe it's bacause of the talisman that is calling out to me, to his real owner. I would be lying. Every moment he's standing next to me I can't concentrate. There are a lot of memories going through my head when I see him. Not to mention, I'm breathless just to see him in his human form all the time while he talks and looks at me. It's so hard to pretend I'm not affected by it. But that's my expertise. To pretend.  
When he left the room without a word I let out a sigh of relief. I knew I wouldn't handle it anymore. After a couples of minutes, I wanted him to come back but he didn't. Now, I need to focus in the curse I have to break and more important, who did it?  
Hye Ri is the only one still alive. Se Ri died after an experiment. Her power wasn't enough for her. She wanted more and she paid for it. Hye Ri killed Jae Ri. Just like my mother. I don't know what happened to Ma Ri but she's gone.   
The thing is that, Hye Ri would have tried to kill the wolf if she had been so close to him. She would have captured him to experiment on him instead of cursing him. That's no longer fun for her.  
The only one left is... Hae Ra.   
Curses follow simple rules. You can only do it with your talisman and you have to do it looking at your victim straight in the eye for the connection. Well then, how could Hae Ra do it if she can't see?  
I'm getting a headache for all of these unanswered questions so I start thinking about something else. It's been days since I've been in here and I'm not so sure if Jin's still looking for me. I wish I had a form to communicate with him and tell him I'm okay. I hope he's still there when I return to our home.  
Small flames appear on my hands while I'm thinking. The witch's power from that night is still attached to me, but the flames are stronger. The power seem to work better on me. The witch had quite the surprise when he saw what I could do. I wanted to scream that I have another power but I have to keep my mouth shut. A witch with two powers is unusual and Hye Ri could find me easier if she knew.   
I smile because I feel safe in case one of these werevolves wants to attack me believing me fragile. But I know they won't. They need something from me just like I need something from them. Although Kai's cold stare disturbs me. Maybe he wants to hurt me. Maybe he will after I am no longer needed. The sad part is, he has the right to feel that way.   
I will not defend myself if it happens. I won't be able to hurt him. Not him. Never again. The promise to curse him when he gives me back the talisman was nothing but a lie. A very easy lie. He probably believed it. I couldn't help it. The strange blue color in my eyes was most likely what convinced him.   
My eyes became like that because of the excitement I felt for touching him. And that's a secret I'll keep with me. 


	7. In Your Blood.

**\- Jin -**

The day I came from hunting I knew something was wrong. When I went to her bedroom and I didn't find her sleeping there it was enough reason to panic. I know very well Jisoo's power but I also know what kind of people want to hurt her. It's been days and I haven't found any clues that could lead me to where she could be. Until now.  
The witch standing in front of me shivers in fear. I recognize him as the desperate witch who asked for protection since his power doesn't work correctly.   
\- Who would thought you weren't a witch? I would've never guessed you were a vampire. - he says with a shaky voice. He's really scared.  
\- Don't play with me. I need to know where she is, so tell me everything that you know. Or maybe, did you hurt her? I remember how desperate you were. -   
If he really hurt her, I'm going to cut him into pieces.   
\- No, wait. It's true I followed her after she left underworld. But I just wanted to know more. I wanted to know how she did it. - he answers.  
I kick myself mentally. I should've stopped her. No one can know about her other power.   
\- Where did she go when you were following her? - I ask.  
\- She turn to the right and walked for several blocks to the south. -   
_She was going home._  
\- Then she stopped and started running to the left. They were after her. I left when I recognized what they were. I never thought they'd come here... -   
\- The hybrids! They were following her? - I'm starting to panic.  
\- Yes. I... we ran away, we came to hide in this world and escape from them but... I guess they were just looking for her, right? Because she's special. -   
My anger and fear make me unable to control myself. I push him towards the pavement. He hits his head and faints. But he's a witch so he'll be fine. He'll wake up in the morning.   
I walk away and I try to find the path the witch described. I don't know how many blocks she walked to our home so it will be difficult to know where she changed direction. Any traces left behind are probably lost by now. Even though the rain of that night made the distinctive smell from the hybrids stronger, the air and other smells must've covered it. What is worse is that I can't smell Jisoo's.   
I don't know how I'm going to find her but I will. I must. I made a promise long time ago. I won't let it happen again. Hye Ri won't be able to put her hands on Jisoo anymore. Not when I'm her protector.

 

**\- Jisoo. -**

Another four days have passed. I'm still in this place. There's a bathroom inside this cell, so I can clean myself and do my business. They continue to bring me the food. Chanyeol sometimes stays with me and asks me questions. I answer some of them. He seems to have an interest in knowing more about me for a strange reason. The rest just bring the food and leave. Everyone except Kai, he doesn't come at all.   
If I was somebody else, the confinement would've made me crazy but I'm used to it. Besides, not knowing where I am is more unsettling. The protection these four walls give me is relaxing. I miss my aura and the way it made me feel secure from what could hurt me, including the people surrounding me. This cell feels more like home than a prison.  
It's almost dinner time. It's almost time for someone to come and I uselessly get excited thinking Kai could come this time. I wish I could speak to him but instead a young girl greets me. Her eyes get bigger when she sees me clearly but she's not as surprised as I am. The tray of food she has in her hands tells me she knew what she would find in here.  
\- I didn't think you would look like this. - she says.  
\- Are you one of them? - This is the first time I see a female werewolf. I only met the cursed werewolves Hye Ri kept as pets until now. Seeing her in the human form is amazing. Specially because she's really beautiful.   
She doesn't say anything, she just stares at me curiosly. She places the tray in the table using the little space in the gate and then she steps back. Her face looks happy. She's not afraid of me.  
\- What is your power? What do you do? Where do you live? Do you have a mate? Can you see the future? - there were a lot of questions in just one sentence. I figure she must be just a teenager.   
\- My power is force field. I live in the human world. I don't have a mate. I can't see the future because we only have one power. - I answer her. She seems harmless and I don't see the need to be rude with her.  
\- You live with the humans? That must be exciting. - her comment makes me smile. She reminds me of myself when I dreamed of going to that world. When I wished I wasn't what I was and live a simple life.   
\- Can you shift? Do you live in this house? Do you know how I can get out of here? - I ask in return and before I know it another question comes from my mouth. - What is Kai's real name? -  
Her face falls with the last question. She loses her smile and sadness shines in her eyes.   
\- I know who you are. We all do. I know what you did, why did you hurt him? - It's my expression what changes now.  
\- I... -   
The door opens suddenly interrupting me. It's Kai and two of them that I recognize as Kyungsoo and Baekhyun now.  
\- Soo Yeon! What are you doing here? - Kyungsoo scolds her. He looks desperate. - You do not have permission to be here. -   
\- I'm sorry. I just wanted to know how she looked like. - the young girl lowers her head.  
\- It's not Soo Yeon's fault, I gave her permission to come up here. - Baekhyun exclaims.   
\- And we will talk about it later. I still can't believe you let her get in here. -   
\- I already told you what happened. She looked at me with those big eyes and I couldn't say no. None of us can say no when she looks at us like that. - Baekhyun defends himself looking at Kai for support but he's just staring at me furiously.  
\- Did you say something to her? Did you do something to her? - Kai asks me.  
I'm confused. It's been days and that's all he says? I've been in here thinking over and over where he could be and if he'd come to me again. For his attitude I can tell he didn't do the same.  
\- Honestly, it's all your fault. You made us treat her like a real little sister and now she does what she pleases with us. - Beakhyun keeps defending himself.  
\- But instead of discipline, you're spoiling her. -  
\- Because if her own older brother doesn't do it, then we will do it. Right, Kai? -  
It's in that moment when they realize what's happening between Kai and me. They were arguing while we were having a staring contest. I'm still confused of what he said. _What did he expect me to do to a child?_   
\- I don't need permission or discipline. I'm almost twenty two years old, I'm not a little girl anymore. - Soo Yeon leaves the room in a hurry.   
The two werewolves are frozen in their places. They are feeling the tension coming from us.   
\- Answer me, witch. What did you say or do to her? -  
\- I don't understand what you mean. - I won't let him intimidate me. I cross my arms and stand tall.  
\- Don't play the victim card. I'm talking about your manipulative ways and how you act all fragile. What did you say to her? Did you ask her to let you out or to take the talisman from me? -  
I don't have words to say. I lost all my concentration when he called me manipulative. From all the things I have been, that's not one of them.  
\- You're wrong. -  
\- You're wrong if you think you can fool me. You're trapped here until you do what you promised. You won't use your old habits again. -  
\- Kai, I think we should leave. - Kyungsoo says.  
We don't listen to him.  
\- You're an idiot. Do you really believe I'm capable of using her...? -   
I'm interrupted by his laughter this time. He sounds bitter and almost maniac.  
\- If I believe you're capable of using her? I think you're capable of anything. You can't help it. It's in your blood. To be evil. Your family captured werewolves for fun and cursed them to turn them into beasts that only fought each other as your entertainment. You... you were fourteen years old when you changed my life with the curse. And you were fifteen when you ruined me by making me a murderer. -   
His words hurt me deeply and he's not even done yet. He walks to the other two who were just silently watching everything.   
\- From now on, I'll be the only one dealing with her. We can't take risks. - He turns to Kyungsoo in particular. - Take more care of Soo Yeon because she's the most innocent out of all and if the witch comes near her, she'd poison her soul. -  
He leaves without turning back. I'm biting my lips to stop me from crying. I clench my fists and I feel my hands burning.  
Baekhyun and Kyungsoo step back surprised for the change in my eyes. All of my emotions make this peculiarity appear. Anger, fear, joy, pain. And right now, I'm about to break. Starting with the fact that everything he said is true. I can't help it. I'm evil by nature. It's in my blood. In my genes.   
They leave the room seconds later and I hear them lock the door. It's the moment I open my hands to see my palms with burns from the power that's still in me. I wouldn't have been hurt if I had my force field. The burnings will disappear in a couple of hours but I will be in pain in the meantime. To tell the truth, it doesn't compare to the pain in my heart.

 

*******   
_"We're evil, Jisoo. We're witches. It's in your blood. It's what we are. Don't forget it."_   
_Those were my mother's last words to me before she died. I was five years old. I was taken to that place to live with my aunts. My mother was never precisely a loving person specially since she couldn't touch me, so I wasn't expecting love when I got there. I didn't get any._   
_They were curious about me at first. I was the first witch to be born with that power after a very long time. I was almost like a show. Hye Ri reacted differently. She tried to touch me with her hands that were like fire balls. I didn't feel anything. She did._   
_If I had known her expression was from fear and not anger, my destiny could've been different. But I was only five. She was an adult. I thought I was in disadvantage, I thought I was more afraid._   
_I remember seeing the gate closing behind me and thinking I would never see it open again. I remember even better the room I was locked up in. It was dusty and dark. It was my home._

 

**_***_ **   
_Hae Ra cried the first time we met. She was playing in her room and I escaped from mine._   
_\- Who's there? - she asked. Her eyes were expressionless. There was no light in them but she knew someone was watching._   
_\- It's Jisoo. - I answer shyly._   
_\- Jisoo? Come close. Let me... -_   
_She walked so fast to me like she could see that I had no time to get away. Her cry of pain was the only thing I heard. I was locked up in my room for months after that. I never got close to her again. Neither did she._

 

**_***_**  
 _I was ten years old when I could finally go out to the garden freely. The flowers were bright and beautiful unlike the dark house._  
 _That's not what had my attention. I walked to the back part of the house where the weird noises were coming from. I heard them so many times before that I was eager to know what it was. I was taken aback when I saw them. In big cages, there were animals growling and desperately trying to get out._  
 _\- What are they? - I asked Se Ri. She was supervising everything._  
 _\- They're wolves. Werewolves. -_   
_It was amazing to see them. I only heard about them in stories. But there was something strange._  
 _\- What's wrong with them? Why are they like this? -_  
 _\- Because they're cursed. We cursed them so they stay in their animal form and later... we just have fun. -_  
 _\- Why? - I asked her. - Why did you curse them and what's fun about it? -_  
 _\- You'll know one day. You will do it, too. It's what we are. -_  
 _I didn't understand then, and I didn't know which part was fun because all I could see were cries of pain disguised as grunts. It took me a while to find out about the competitions and what happened there. I remember the faces of pleasure they had watching the werwolves die in the battles. I watched everything with a stone face. I had learned that in our world, in our family, if you were weak you had to be killed. So I kept silent. Inside I was disgusted by that. I was sad. But that's not what we should feel. That's not what we are._

 

**_***_ **   
_There was nothing special about that night, Hyun Woo, who was Hye Ri's favorite ally in that moment, brought new victims. New pets._   
_Something changed and noises of a struggle came from the cages. One werewolf escaped. Lights of electricity were thrown to him but they couldn't catch him. A black werewolf was running... to me. He stopped just meters away and he touched my hand with his nose._   
_I screamed but not from pain. I felt scared and I let my emotions be shown. The wolf stumbled feeling dizzy. It must have been from my power._   
_When I looked up, my aunts were watching me in a cold way. They saw my moment of weakness. I turn to the damn wolf that made me put my guard down. I was furious._   
_\- This is your moment, Jisoo. Curse it and show us that you're one of us. - Jae Ri said._   
_I was shaking with anger and I could feel something cold in my hand. He licked me. Just that. I got scared for nothing. I was almost exposed. I couldn't let it happen. I couldn't let them see me being weak one more time. It was the moment to use my power. I knew what to do although I never did it before._   
_\- "I curse you with the moon as my witness. You will live like the beast you are. You will obey every word that comes from my mouth. Until the day I leave this house." -_   
_The words came naturally to me. Because that's who I am._

 

**_***_ **   
_I hid him in the basement. I showed him what the cursed meant. He had to do what I told him to do. I could see his anger, his desperation. He was so easy to read._   
_I didn't want to hurt him when I wanted to pet him. I told him not to feel pain and he didn't feel it. I could touch his head and the softness of his fur. The white spot behind his ear was particularly softer._   
_I could feel his change towards me. He wasn't so hostile. I started to call him Kai. I didn't know his real name and I needed to give him one. He seemed to like it. I realized he was different from the others. My curse worked better in some way. He didn't lose rationality. I kept that information. I let my aunts believed he was just an animal._   
_I told him everything about me. He was my confident. He couldn't talk. He couldn't judge me. But it wasn't fair to see him in his animal form. I wanted to meet him as a human. As a person._   
_His transformation was almost magical. I never saw something like it but it didn't compare to seeing his bright dark eyes looking directly at me. He was tall and thin, but he looked strong. Intimidating. It was his expression. It must have been frightening to see him angry. He didn't look at me like that. There were only warmth and comfort in his eyes, in his touch._   
_I wished everyday I could break his curse like I could break others. It was impossible. I told him when it would break instead and I did everything to leave that place. I challenged Hye Ri in every chance I got. I was punished and I was forced to break more curses. To suffer more. I didn't care, I had to leave to set him free. I wanted to run away with him._   
_I showed him my weakness. I showed him my pain for breaking the curses but never showed him what it did physically to me. There was no need for that. I told him about the experiments. He was the only person that ever gave me love and I showed him my darkest secrets. He deserved more from me. He deserved I protected him but I couldn't do it. I failed him._   
_I wanted to hide him from the battles but it was useless. That day in the garden when it was about to begin, I told him to be the best. To beat them all. It was the only way to keep him alive. He had to win over and over. Hi did._

 

**_***_ **   
_Hye Ri started to suspect my attachment to Kai. I had to protect him. I practically gave him up to Hyun Woo and his training. The training were punishments but I stayed silent. I watched him suffer. I watched him be mistreated countless of times. I watched him be broken._   
_His injuries were severe. He had bites all over his body and blood covered him completely._   
_\- I'm sorry Kai, please forgive me. -_   
_I cried and cried in front of him. He didn't listen to me. He was unconscious._   
_\- I knew you felt something for this dirty dog. - Hye Ri's voice interrupted me. - You're just like your mother. Weak. -_   
_I didn't want to listen to her that night. I didn't want to pretend I didn't feel any pain. I confronted her. It was useless. I was taken to my bedroom with threats that they would hurt Kai even more._   
_The people in white robes that made experiments on me were there. They pricked me with needles and got my blood out. They came closer to hurt me again. I didn't allow it. My pain and anger exploded in me making my power grow. My force field expanded for several meters. That was when I could finally see and understand Hye Ri's fear of me. I passed out from the effort after that._   
_When I woke up, Kai was dead. That was the day I died as well._


	8. Full Moon.

**\- Kai -**

The day has finally come. Today will be a full moon. Jisoo will start the process to break Suho's curse. I'll be watching while the rest of the pack go out tonight. This is the day we have more energy, and what it was the perfect night to train, now that we're immortals it's the night we go hunting.  
They prepare to leave, they're taking provisions in case they need it. I just watch them go. They're going happily since this is something we long for every month. It's the day we have more freedom. Soo Yeon is happy, too. She's not immortal yet and she doesn't feel the energy in this night as much as we do but she goes because is part of her training.   
The house feels empty without them and I just walk up to Jisoo's room. She hasn't said anything since our fight the other day and I kept my word of being the only one dealing with her.   
She greets me with her nonchalant expression but turns to see me with curiosity. She turns to see the talisman.  
\- Are you ready? -  
\- Do I have another choice? -   
I smirk at her question and I lead her to the room where Suho is in right now. It seems the full moon is affecting him the same way because he's moving more. He starts to grunt at me when he smells my presence. Jisoo walks straight to the gate of his cell, bending over in front of him. He doesn't even notice her.  
\- Is there something more you need other that his blood? - I ask.  
\- I would've told you if I did. But I guess I won't make you leave the room, right? -   
\- Of course not. It's unlucky it has to be today because I wouldn't be the only one watching otherwise.-   
\- Can I least ask you to not wear that during the process? -  
\- Why? -   
Her request surprises me. I know she means the talisman but I thought that maybe she'd ask to use it, not to hide it. She sighs before answering.  
\- The talisman is like a part of me. It's like a magnet. It calls me. It has an energy, my energy. It belongs to me and I must have it. You don't have idea of what it means or what I'm feeling. -  
I gulped. Her voice is calm but her eyes can't stop looking at the object. I can't stop looking at her.   
"It calls me... It has my energy."  
That's what I would use to describe what I feel when I look at her and she feels the same when she sees something that I have. It's kind of funny. Or maybe is more than that. I've had it with me for seven years. I almost feel it as my own. I never took it off for one second, I will not do it now.   
After my refusal, her glum expression returns. When she's about to begin, she turns to me, extending her hand.   
\- Maybe I should do it. - I tell her. I thought about it these past days. It's not the best idea to let her have a knife. She can't kill us but I don't trust her yet. Her answer is not what I was expecting.  
\- Fine, you can do it if you want. You just have to do it when... I tell you to. -  
I make a face and she smiles pleased. She starts making noises to get Suho's attention. He didn't stop growling at me all this time. When he goes to the place the noise is coming from, she starts repeating -look at me- in a low tone. It sounds like a whispering but is almost as if it's a spell. It definitely makes me look at her.   
At first, Suho can't focus his eyes on her, but her voice sounds so relaxing that it makes his eyes find hers. After a few minutes, I realize he's standing still like a statue. Jisoo makes the sign for me to cut him.  
I take the knife and come close cautiosly, although I don't think I can break the connection between them. I make a small wound behind his neck because I know it's a place where he'd feel less pain if he could feel it. The blood spills but the drops don't reach the ground. The blood suspends in the air as if time has stopped. I turn to see Jisoo.   
_Is she glowing?_  
I don't know how to explain it but a blue light is coming form her and from the talisman. That's not what gets my attention but the wound that appears on her neck. She bites her lips when she feels it. The light can't stop me from seeing the numerous wounds appearing out of nowhere on her body. They're bigger and deeper.   
Her eyes are filled with tears and she clenches her hands in pain. I start to feel uneasy and I breath heavily. The wolf in me is not happy seeing her suffer. He asks to stop her misery. When she can't take it anymore and she screams in pain, I step up trying to get her away but I can't move her. Jisoo keeps screaming, there's blood everywhere. I think I'm going to go crazy if I don't do anything soon. That's when I cover her eyes with my hand.   
I feel the exact moment the connection breaks. I have her in my arms and I hear her sobs. I remember the days she used to cry with me for doing precisely what she did right now. If I felt powerless before, I feel like a jerk now. Because I am who made her do it this time.  
I turn her to face me and I don't find anything on her now, except for that first wound on her neck. The one in the same place as the wound on Suho, which is no longer there. There aren't traces of blood either, only her tears down her cheek are proof of what happened.  
She's looking at the talisman that keeps glowing although she isn't anymore. Her eyes are blue again. She reaches with her hand to touch it and I feel electricity running through my body. I think I can feel the energy coming from them.   
\- Give it to me. - she says quietly.   
She's clearly talking about the talisman but I tense up. _Did she not realize how sexual it sounds?_   
No. Something's wrong with me. I just saw hundreds of wounds on her body and blood spilling out and, _it turned me on?_ _how much of a sick pervert am I?_  
I don't care. I can't stop staring at her hypnotizing blue eyes. I know they seem scary, but they were always special to me. The jasmin scent it's tempting and my heart accelerates. My eyes move to her lips. I remember the times we kissed. The kisses were soft, innocent. There's someting else now.  
I lean with the intention of kissing her. I can tell she knows what I'm about to do, and I rejoice when I feel her own excitement.   
However, someone calls my name. It's Suho.   
\- Kai! Jongin! -   
I can't believe what I'm seeing. Suho in his human form looking at me. Speaking to me.  
\- Suho! Are you okay? - I regretfully step away from Jisoo and I walk towards him. I smile when I see him unharmed.   
\- Do not hurt her! You can not hurt her! - he claims, reaching for the bars of his cell. - She needs me, you can't hurt her. I need to go get out of here and go to her. -  
\- Who are you talking about? -  
\- Her. The witch. -  
For a slight moment I think he's talking about Jisoo, but he repeats himself when he turns to her.  
\- You... you can take me with her, cant' you? -   
Jisoo frowns at his words. She's as confused as I am. Slowly, I start to understand.  
\- Do you mean the witch that cursed you? -  
\- She didn't mean to. She didn't want to do it. Don't you get it? I've been trying to tell you but I couldn't communicate. I have to go with her, she needs me. And you have to protect her. I'm your King and that's an order. -  
The last part surprises me. I don't remember the last time he gave us an order for being the King. There isn't more time to talk, he shifts into a wolf again. He walks feeling dizzy until he falls asleep.   
\- He spoke in lydian and called himself a King. -  
Jisoo's comment makes me come back to reality. I was immersed in talking to Suho that I didn't pay attention to the fact that he used the old language. It's not something to hide but I wasn't palnning on telling her either. I don't even have to explain it to her, since she can speak it too. The morning I woke up listening to those witches speaking in lydian about me, it was how I knew the pack wouldn't be able to find me. Because I was in the home of the evil witch.  
\- I've seen all of you. You're bigger than a normal werewolf and there's a reason for it. You're the pack of the warriors. You're royalty. - she continues.  
It sounds a little weird to hear it. We stopped refering to ourselves in that way. A lot of things have changed, but that's not what matters to me right now. I have something else to worry about. I go closer to Jisoo with determination.  
\- The witch he mentioned, do you know who she is? -   
\- He is the King and the rest of you are princes. This is why you fight the hybrids. You can defeat them. - she says, ignoring my question. I place my hands on her shoulders to make her focus on me.  
\- Answer me! Do you know who she is? It must be one of your aunts, right? - Thinking about it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. This will only add more trouble to what we already had. I know is not much but I pray a little hoping to be wrong.   
Jisoo looks at me with a new light in her eyes. Something changed for her but I don't know what.  
\- I am more convinced now than ever that it had to be Hae Ra. -  
Hae Ra? The name doesn't sound familiar. I remember Jisoo's family, I remember their faces of evil after I won in the competitions. I try to find her in my memory but nothing comes to mind.  
\- I don't remember her. Who was she? -  
\- My cousin. Hye Ri's daughter-   
Dammit!  
This is just what we needed. I turn back to see Suho. He's breathing easier now in comparison to the past days. I really hope to be wrong but there isn't any other reason for him to ask me to protect her if she's not what I'm thinking.  
Suho, the king and leader of the werewolves, has for a mate the heiress of witches, the heiress of the evil.   
A twisted fate awaits us all. A twisted fate we can't escape.   


**\- Jin -**

I walk aimlessly. I'm walking automatically. I don't know how I can continue. I've been looking for Jisoo without stopping. I'm so weak. I should stop to gain strenght by drinking blood. I haven't tasted any since she disappeared. I have to find her. I promised her and myself that I would do it. I have to take care of her. I have to protect her.  
I see some light on the streets. It's about to dawn. I need to hide before the sun touches me. I should've gone home when I still could vanish. I need blood.  
That's all my mind can process. I start walking to the lights I see close. I hear the human voices. All I can think is in the blood I can smell. It's been years since the last time I drank human blood but I'm not in my best right now. I need strenght and I need it now.  
I walk silently and I observe someone in particular, she's wearing red, appropriate for the occasion. She's not aware of my presence until I'm about to bite her neck. Her blood seemed more appetizing than the rest of the people walking on the dim streets.  
She jumps a little for the surprise and turns around before I can cut her with my fangs. The effort is too much for me. I fall to the ground with her in my arms.  
\- Are you a vampire? - I open my eyes at her question. She's not afraid of me, I can see it. I can feel it.   
I watch her get close so she can see me better. There's a green glint in her eyes. I touch her cheek with my hand, and the rush of blood for her blushing makes me swallow hard.   
\- Who are you? - I ask her with the little voice I have left.  
Then I see a ray of sun landing on my hand. It burns me. I close my eyes, making a last attempt to vanish. I manage to do it because I can feel the softness of the bed where I am lying. It took all of me to do it so I just lose consciousness. I don't realize I'm not alone.


	9. Danger.

**\- Jisoo. -**

I wake up feeling better. I had no energy left yesterday after the ritual and it put me to sleep for almost a whole day, but I feel better now. I don't know how to explain it, I just feel different. I see my hands and the weak blue glow in them makes me smile. My power is coming back.  
I get up, folding th blankets where I slept. Kai told me to sleep in the same room as the wolf, the King . I look up to the cell but he's not there anymore.  
I still have on my mind the discovery of who they are. I didn't know much of their species before but I have investigated over the years. Part of it, because of my interest in Kai and because of the stories of the warriors pack.  
The witches stopped using the royal titles long time ago but the werewolves kept the tradition. Because being royal in their world is more than being leaders of their people. The werwolves who are royalty, are stronger and bigger. They have been legends between the magic creatures, because they're soldiers who fight battles undefeated.   
Jin was the first to tell me about them. It was a bedtime story. When I met him, when he helped me escape I was only sixteen years old and he was a decade older. I'm twenty three now, he's still twenty six. Like he has been for one hundred and fifty years. Thinking about him makes me sad. Jin is basically my older brother.  
I look at the rest of the room and I don't find Kai in here either. I was too tired yesterday that I didn't pay attention to where he would sleep.  
I walk to the door and I notice it open already. I go out to look for Kai. I only know the way to the room I was locked up in and even though the house is big, I don't have trouble finding the stairs. Seeing all the luxurious furniture is not strange now that I know it's a legacy from their royal families.  
The dim light of the setting sun comes from one of the windows. The silence in the house is clear proof Kai is not here and I feel uneasy. He wouldn't have let me alone. He can't leave me unattended. I reach the front door, the night has come when I walk out.  
The house looks even bigger from outside but the garden is huge. It's not like Hye Ri's house surrounded by walls. Everything is free here.  
\- You finally woke up. - The voice from my right scared me a little. I didn't even hear him getting closer. I turn to see him, finding the King standing next to him in his wolf form. He can see now and his frenzy disappeared.  
\- The ritual is exhausting. I had to sleep to regain strenght. -   
\- I thought so. What are you doing outside? -  
\- I was looking for you. - I answer with honesty.  
\- Weren't you trying to escape? - He raises his eyebrow but he seems relaxed. He's not so hostile with me today.  
\- I don't know the place and if I run away I don't know what creatures I'd find out there. Besides, I don't have my talisman yet. -  
He laughs and I go mute. It's the first time I hear him laugh like that. Without mockery, without hard feelings. Just a genuine laughter.  
\- That's right. You still have an agreement to meet. Come, let's go get something to eat. -  
They go into the house and I'm left surprised for his attitude. It's like he changed personalities in a day. Then I remember the kiss we almost had and I feel butterflies in my stomach. I follow him into the kitchen. Seeing him making dinner it's exciting. Do werewolves change their mind during the full moon?  
\- Through out the day, Suho has shifted again. It seems he'll do it constantly until the curse is broken. Knowing it's working put me in a good mood. - He places a plate of food in front of the wolf, then in front of me, finishing with placing one for him. His words are an explanation to his behavior. I understand now he's just grateful I'm doing my part of the deal.   
\- I could've ended it yesterday but you stopped me. It will take two or three days more now. - The full moon is special for them and that's why it had to be done yesterday. They don't have the same response the following days.   
\- You were bleeding out and in agony, I had to stop you. Also, the blue glow was a little weird. - he answers softly after taking a bite of his food.   
\- The wounds are from the past curses I broke but it's an illusion. Nothing's there although I feel it like it's real. The glow is a reflection of my power, which it's coming back now that I used a powerful kind of magic. I can already feel the energy coming from it. Soon, I'll have it completely with me. - I look at my glowing hands while I'm eating.   
\- Is that a warning? - he smiles again and I lose concentration.  
\- I'm just saying it. -   
\- I always thought your power was the reason you could break curses, but it used to hurt you before just like yesterday. So, why are you the only one who can do it? -  
\- I'm not. - my answer surprises him. - Any witch can do it. I was just chosen to do the task because it was the only way I could feel pain. Hye Ri made me do it as a punishment and at the same time it was amusing to her. -  
\- I see. And, are you going to bleed tonight again? Would it be the same until the curse is broken? -  
\- No. It's just at the beginning when you do the first cut. I'll feel pain but not like yesterday. -  
We continue to eat in silence for a few minutes. I don't want to lose the peace between us but I have something bothering me since last night. Since the moment I heard his name. Jongin. I would like to know why he doesn't use it anymore. So far, his pack has called him Kai.  
\- I thought, like everybody else, that the warriors pack had disappeared. The only information about you was the king's name, Junmyeon, but you call him Suho. Are you hiding? -  
\- We're not hiding. Our old home was destroyed, we're the only survivors. That's why it's believed we disappeared. And the other thing is not a covering, it's just a nickname. -   
\- Like yours? - I bite my lips waiting for his answer. He stares at me before he speaks.  
\- Kind of like mine. How do you know so much about us? -  
\- I investigated for a couple of years. I was curious. -  
\- And what did you learn so far? -  
\- Lots of things. I learned about packs, and how you're supposed to be like a family. I read a lot about the warriors pack and the stories of the battles they fought, turning out as heroes everytime. I learned about your immortality after reaching maturity. And lastly... about mates. - I try to remember everything I learned over the years.  
\- Is there something in particular you would like to know more about? -  
\- Did you, and your pack, reach maturity? Are you immortals? -  
\- All of us but Soo Yeon. We're warriors so we reach it faster but Soo Yeon is still young. -  
I imagined it. They seem fearless and there's no doubt as to why now. They can't die. Witches like me can live hundreds of years and we're stronger than humans, but we can die. A matured werewolf can only die after giving up immortality.  
\- Anything else? -  
\- About mates. - I watch him take a deep breath. I don't think he's comfortable talking about the subject but he makes a sign for me to continue. - I've read you find your mates when you're a matured werewolf, and that you mark each other to spend the eternity together. -   
This made me sad when I read about it, when I thought Kai was dead. I felt sorry for the werewolf Kai was meant to be with. If it was me, and I had lost Kai as my mate, I'd give up immortality for sure because it would be pointless without him.   
\- But I also read a werewolf's mate can be another creature. I don't quite understand how a non-werewolf can leave a mark. - I say.  
\- Very simple actually. The mark can be anything. It's not like the marks the witches have. It's just something you give to your mate. -   
\- Like what? - I ask him looking at my own mark on my left arm. It's a sphere with blue color.   
\- Like a bite, personal smell, a gift of some sort like... - he stays silent for a few minutes staring at his hands next to the empty plate. I think he's not going to answer me but then he says something that takes my breath away.  
\- Like giving your mate a name. -

 

**\- Kai -**

\- Like giving your mate a name. - I say it with no fear or other reasons. I always thought my reluctance to use my real name came from the fact I was no longer who I used to be. It didn't feel like that was my name anymore. I thought "Kai" was the person I became after the curse, but ever since I discovered she could be my mate, I've had second thoughts about it. I think the name could be the mark she left on me.   
Jisoo lowers her head embarrassed, and I see her blushing. The implication of my comment is very clear. I can hear her heart beating faster. I smile at that, my body starts to react to her body language. I can't say I'm not happy to see the effect I have on her, although I'm still doubtful of what I feel for her. I don't know if it is because of my old feelings for her, for the curse, or just because she really is my mate.  
My doubts increased after Suho claimed his mate was the witch who put a curse on him. It means we're both wrong, we both suffer the consequences of the curses, or we were meant to the evil. But while Suho is convinced he found his real mate, I still have lot to think about.  
\- When would the rest of your pack be back? - Jisoo suddenly asks me. She isn't looking at me and I know why. Her eyes are blue again. I turn to my side and realize Suho left the room at some point.  
\- In a week or two. They go far away for the hunting, it'll take them time to come back. - she blushes once more. She bites her lips for the umpteen time and I know I can't hold it in anymore. I'm about to get closer, then I see Suho through the window, he's standing in the middle of the garden staring at the dark.  
\- Is there something wrong? - Jisoo speaks next to me. My change of attitude must have warned her. It made her eyes go back to normal.  
\- Yes. Something is wrong. -  
That's the moment Suho starts growling and I go out immediately. I shift in an instant, ready to face whatever it is out there. I stop when I see them. They're not the danger I was expecting to find.  
\- Wait! We've come in peace, we just wanted to say hi. - Hanbin says raising his hands. His pack is behind him, all of them. Jinhwan, Yunhyeong, Bobby, Donghyuk, Junhoe, Chanwoo, and the two females, Hana and Rosé. They're in the human form. It's their way to show they're not here to fight.   
\- What do you want? - I ask. They can hear me without having to shift back.   
\- You know what we want. -   
\- I thought I was very clear the last time I spoke to you. - there's no friendly tone in my voice.   
\- And we were very clear in telling you we can help. We've found a way to...-  
\- I told you to cut the crap. You're not ready to fight, you haven't matured yet. -  
\- And whose fault is it? - Yunhyeong asks.   
\- Yours. I don't have to solve that for you. -   
\- Yes, you do. You're the prince, Jongin. - says Jinhwan.  
\- I'm not a prince and that's not my name. - I feel the frustration coming from them. I don't care, they have to go. They have to leave me alone.  
I watch Bobby shaking his head towards Hana and Rosé. They seem to not understand what I'm saying.   
\- What are we supposed to do then? Sit around and let them do to others what they did to us? - Hana angrily asks.  
\- Hana and I, we're not werewolves anymore. We can't shift, we won't have immortality. We won't be able to find our mates. - Rosé's voice cracks.   
I can't help but to feel sorry for them, for all of them. I know what was my responsabilty as the prince. I know what my place was, but it changed the day I was captured. The day I was cursed. I'm not who I used to be, so I can't be who I was supposed to become.  
\- You're wasting your time with me. Run away! Do what the others did and go somewhere to hide! Maybe you can save yourselves that way. -   
The scent of jasmin comes to me, and they start staring at something behind me, to where Jisoo is probably standing right now. I turn sideways to see Suho in front of her, like he's protecting her. The unbroken curse he still has makes it impossible for him to communicate the way I'm communicating with the young werewolves, but there's something bothering him. I'm the fastest in the pack, but Suho has the best sense of smell, so I know he's trying to warn me about something.   
\- Why did you bring a witch into our world? We thought you fought the hybrids and the witches, even though you didn't want our help. - Hanbin bitterly says.  
It's true this could be the first time a witch came into our world without the intention of capturing werewolves. Jisoo is, after all, our enemy.  
\- It's none of your busi... -  
I stop talking when the danger I was afraid of appears form the shadows. Hybrids. There are hybrids here, in our world, in our home. I could've been prepared if I weren't distracted by the intrusion of Hanbin and his pack.   
\- Look what we have here! I didn't know where these dirty dogs could takes us to. - says one of them.  
The werewolves transform after being surprised. They stand next to me, but the difference in our sizes is very clear.   
\- Sun Woo and the evil witch would be very pleased when we take new victims for the experiments, but mostly, after we'd give them the witch they're looking for. -   
I turn to see Jisoo, who is still in her place. Hana and Rosé went there as well, Suho is protecting them all. I've forgotten these creatures were looking for Jisoo, and now that I know they plan to take her to the evil witch, I won't let it happen.   
\- We'll fight by your side, prince. - Hanbin claims before he runs to the hybrids.   
\- No! - I scream at him, but I can't stop him.   
I turn one last time to Jisoo, she's clenching her hands. She's scared. My eyes move to Suho. He stares directly at me and he nods his head. It's the permission I needed. I close my eyes and let out a heavy breath before I start fighting, because this won't be just a battle. This is going to be a massacre. 


	10. Insane.

**\- Jisoo. -**

Watching Kai fight makes me understand Hyun Woo obssesion with him all those years ago. He knew who Kai was. He must have known Kai would always win the battles. He was trained for that. I also understand better Kai's bitterness towards me. He could've won the competitions without me ordering him to do it, without needing to kill his opponents.   
There are six hybrids up againts eight werewolves. One of them is a prince, a warrior. Kai attacks them with no mercy, ripping off parts of their bodies. The hybrids are a mix of living dead so it's difficult for them to die again. The other werewolves are hurt easily because they're not immortals yet, but they have a survival instinct making them stop themselves before they get seriously hurt, which means it's mostly Kai against the hybrids.  
The fight keeps going, the hybrids attack Kai, biting and trying to hurt him, but they can't do it. When Kai breaks his leg, he puts it back into place with just one movement, healing it completely. They try to immobilize him, but he takes them out of his way.  
I feel safe, I'm not afraid and it's not because Kai is too strong, it's not for being protected by the king either. It's for the fact that I can defend myself. My own power is returning and I could make them feel a little pain if I touch them with my hands but the other power is with me still. My hands have two fire balls ready to be used on the hybrids if they come to me. Although, by watching Kai I don't think they will.   
Five hybrids are dead already, the last one has enough common sense to turn around and leave, looking at me before he does. Kai is about to follow him when the werewolves go to him, trying to help him. Something different happens. Kai starts attacking them instead. He throws one of them to a tree. The sound indicates he broke several of his bones.   
There is a big problem. The growling coming from Kai are like the cursed werewolves Hye Ri once had. Like the irrational werewolves. It's the momment Suho runs to him. The others walk away when they see him approaching. The fight is now between Kai and Suho.  
\- What is happening? Why is he attacking the King? - says one of the girls next to me.   
This is not like the scene from before. Suho is affected by the curse but he's still an immortal warrior. Kai can't hurt him like he hurt the hybrids. They're both equally strong. They both can't die. I know the young werewolves want to help and that means a tragedy will take place because Kai won't stop. I saw it many times before, Kai won't stop fighting until he's sure he won the battle.  
I start walking towards him. I use all I have to make big fire balls on my hands to throw next to Kai. I manage to distract him with the fire surrounding him, but he's still in a state of insanity.  
\- Stop it! - I scream at him.  
Suddenly, by the side, Baekhyun shows up runnig next to a grey werewolf, Sehun. Together with the King they launch themselves to Kai.   
\- Don't get near, Jisoo! He doesn't recognize anyone when he's like this. - Baekhyun says. - We have to put him to sleep to make him stop. -   
What he says doesn't make sense to me, because right before Kai fell asleep for whatever Baekhyun injected in him, his eyes that were unfocused before were now staring at me. He was looking straight at me. No pain. No anger. Just looking at me.  
He recognized me.

 

**\- Kai -**

The demons are after me. I hear crying and screaming. There is a lot of blood. I open my eyes. I see red, my body shakes and I feel arms trying to control me.   
\- I have to kill them! - I exclaim. It's all I have on my mind. I have to eliminate them. I must do it.   
I feel a punch on my face in that moment. The pain is for a second but is what I needed. My mind clears off.   
\- Fuck you, Sehun. - I tell him, putting my now broken jaw to its place and spitting out the blood in my mouth. I'm back.  
\- You're welcome. - he answers me while healing his broken wrist too.  
\- How long was it this time? -   
\- Ten minutes. The time we get you to sleep is less and less everytime. - Baekhyun says.   
I thought so. I'm getting worse. One day, the drug won't work on me. I don't know what I'll do then. I never remember what happens after I start fighting. I don't know what I do during the battles, the only thing I know is that I attack my opponents without stopping.   
I turn to the pack. We're in the living room of our house. Suho is by my right side licking his wounds, he seems hurt but he'll endure it. They all endure it whenever I attack them.   
\- What happened to Hanbin and his pack? - I ask.   
\- They left. They were a little ashamed. Hanbin had a lot of broken bones because of you but he'll be fine. -  
I nod with my head feeling bad for the pain I've caused them. I don't care if they hybrids found us following them because I know they were trying to help me. They're trying to make me do for them what I should've done long time ago. Now that they saw what happens when I fight, I hope they understand why I don't want them close.   
\- What are you doing here? - I ask Baekhyun and Sehun. I'm coming back to my senses completely and I'm noticing their strange behavior. Something bad happened, their faces are telling me.   
\- We have a huge problem. We lost Soo Yeon, well, she was taken from us. -   
\- What are you talking about? Who took her? - I don't want to think in the possiblity she was taken by the witches or more hybrids.   
\- A bloodsucker took her. - Sehun says.   
\- That doesn't make sense. Why would a vampire do that? They can't drink your blood, it's like poison to them. - Jisoo interferes. I'm surprised once more of how much she knows about us. She's in a corner, away form all of us, where is more darkness. Typical of her. When I look at her I see fire and I have a picture of her standing in front of me. It's weird.  
\- We're not sure, we were in the human world... -   
\- Wait, why were you in the human world? -   
\- It was Soo Yeon's reward for doing so well yesterday, at her training. - Sehun explains.   
Kyungsoo was right, we do spoil her way too much.   
\- We were in the human world, she got too excited and got a little far away from us, she wanted to observe the humans better. Suddenly, a creepy guy came close to her. It happened too fast but we knew what he was because he vanished, taking Soo Yeon with him. - Baekhyun finishes.   
\- The only thing we could do was caused a traffic accident and scare the humans when they saw us transform. -   
\- Then we have a big problem. Where are Kyungsoo and Chanyeol? -   
\- They stayed there. It happened early this morning and we couldn't calm Kyungsoo down since then. So we decided to come for you. -   
I understand Kyungsoo's situation. He lost his parents and he lost his mate. Now the only person that means the world to him has dissappeared. Soo Yeon is the reason he continued training to mature. He became immortal so he could protect his sister, if he didn't have her, he would have chosen to be dead instead.  
\- We didn't think something like this could happen in the human world. -   
\- Nothing good comes from being in the human world. I told you already. - Sehun says in a deep tone.   
The pack shares my bitter feelings for the witches because we were always enemies. The humans and their world have always been a middle ground. Sehun, on the other hand, hates them. He has his reasons.   
\- I don't want to interrupt your discussion, I know you're worried about Soo Yeon. But, don't you think we should leave? One of the hybrids escaped, he's going to come back here with his friends and some other witches. Maybe Hye Ri will come. - Jisoo says.   
\- That's true. We should leave because if they're looking for Jisoo, the witches will most definitely come. - Baekhyun looks at Jisoo as he says it.   
\- To go where exactly? This is the last house we had left. Does the witch have a place we could go? -   
\- I do - Jisoo speaks up, surprising Sehun who wasn't expecting such answer.   
\- Actually, it's the perfect place for you to hide because I assure you Hye Ri will never think of looking for you there, neither will Sun Woo. In a vampire's lair. -   
\- What? -  
\- Also, I know very well the owner of the place and he could help you find the vampire who took Soo Yeon. -   
\- You know very well the owner of the place? As in you're friends with him? With the bloodsucker? - Baekhyun asks.   
\- Yes. -  
We step back according to our tradition that says you'd have bad luck if you befriend a vampire.   
\- I had no idea you were friends with someone like that. - I say calmly. But if I think about it, I don't really know much about her.   
\- I've known him for some time now. -  
\- Do you know him well enough to trust him? -  
\- He's the person I trust the most. He helped me escape from Hye Ri the first time. He'd help me again. He'd help all of you. -  
 _Does suppose to hurt like this, to hear those words?_  
 _Why does it bother you? You don't trust in her either._   
The inner struggle I have on my mind makes me stay quiet. It's not just about the fact that she put her trust in my enemy, it's her confession of being rescued by him. I dreamed to be the one to set her free from that horrible place, I dreamed of taking her with me. And now I discover a vampire did it instead of me.   
We keep quiet after that. The pack can sense what I'm feeling. In any way, they're disgusted by Jisoo's suggestion, but the truth is that we have no more choices. Or time to lose. What could be the deciding factor is the possibility of finding Soo Yeon easier.   
We turn to Suho, since he can understand now, he's the one who has to make the final decision. He walks slowly to stand next to Jisoo. That's his answer.  
\- It seems we're going to see a vampire. -


	11. Confirmation.

**\- Hae Ra -**

She's furious. I never felt all this anger coming from my mother. I feel her burn the empty house of the werewolves where Jisoo had been all this time. It's easy to know it, we can feel Jisoo's magic left in here. But I feel something else, there's something strange about this place, it makes me feel as if I had been here before.  
\- You're a bunch of idiots! What's the advantage of being half vampire if you can't defeat a werewolf? - Hye Ri screams.  
\- You don't understand, milady. That wolf is not like the others, he must be a prince. - the hybrid tries to defend himself.  
Ever since Sun Woo and his henchmen lost Jisoo in the hands of some werewolves, Hye Ri has been in a terrible mood. Now that she was so close in finding her, she's raging. She needs Jisoo, but she needs her more when she doesn't have her power.  
\- That can't be, the pack of warriors disappeared a long time ago. -  
\- It's the only explanation to his strength. It will also explain the pack that crossover to our world to fight us. They must be the pack of warriors. - Sun Woo says with a low voice. He has always been an arrogant jerk, but he's scared to lose what he gained by becoming Hye Ri's favorite ally.  
The air changes and I hear footsteps coming near to me. I prepare myself to feel the familair pain of the cutting ice. The coldness of her hands is strong enough to left me frostbites. Her favorite power is fire, but she uses a different one with me. Because I'm her daughter. However, Hye Ri just speaks to me.  
\- Hae Ra, it's time to use your power. Go to the hybrid and tell me what you see. -  
This will be her opportunity to punish me. I was born blind, I was born weak. The thing she hates the most. But my power worths something to her. If I touch people, I can see their past, their present or their future. Even though I can control what I see, sometimes is not what she wants to know.  
I walk confidently to him. I know they hate my intrusion but they stand it, like we have to stand everything Hye Ri says.  
\- Let me touch you. - I say.  
When I put my hand on his face, parts of his life appear on my mind. I search in his memories what happened a few hours ago. I see the wolf he fought with. The sanguinary battle does not faze me. Nothing can do it. I keep the same expression. Only my eyes change to a color white.  
\- They're right. That wolf is not like the others. - I say when I notice the other seven werewolves fighting.  
Then I see the moment he walked away, turning to see Jisoo with fire on her hands. Why does she have fire on her hands?  
The picture expands and I can see the other big wolf standing in front of her. I know that wolf.  
The memory ends. Now I know why Sun Woo and the other hybrid were so irritable about it. They didn't fight in the first battle. They let the werewolves get away taking Jisoo with them.  
\- What did you see? - Hye Ri asks me.  
I can feel the hybrids move around and feel scared for what I'm about to say, and I don't even bother staying longer there after I do. The scream of pain from one of them can be heard all over the place. Hye Ri burned him alive. She burned him form inside out. Her favorite method of torture. Sun Woo gets a different burn. He's still useful.  
I could hear the laughter of my aunts for seeing Hye Ri's pusnishments before. Today, I'm the only one standing next to my mother. But my laugh does not exist. Jisoo never laughed since it wasn't funny to her. I don't do it becuase I don't care. I don't care about anything.

 

  
**\- Jisoo. -**

\- Isn't it a bit too sunny here for a vampire? - Chanyeol asks when we finally stand in the gate of the house we will be staying.  
It didn't take us much time to cross to the human world to find Kyungsoo and Chanyeol. Even though it wasn't easy to convince them to come with us, they both agreed at the end. I don't have their instinct but I can feel their discomfort. The vampires and werewolves had always been enemies but they don't fight each other anymore. They have a silent agreement of peace, mostly because the vampires started to spend their time in the human world and werewolves stayed in their own world.  
The three-story house it's outside of a small city in the human world. The big space for the garden is illuminated for the sun almost entirely. By my suggestion, we used a vehicle to get here. We traveled all night and now the sun has risen. I know it took us longer to get here but it was better than attracting more attention.  
\- That's the point. - I answer him. What better hiding place for a vampire than one full of sun?  
I do smile anticipating their reactions to the interior of the house. This place has the technology the humans use to protect themselves but Jin did more than that. He implemented extreme measures to make the house habitable for him. We spend most of our time in our apartment in the city but we come here occassionally. This is the place where Jin brings the women he dates often, the ones I'm not supposed to know about.  
\- I don't know if he's here right now... -  
\- He is. We can smell him. - Kai interrupts. He's been more quiet since last night. I wasn't sure he'd keep being nice to me but he's just really silent now.  
\- Then before we get in, you have to promise me you won't attack him. I know you don't fight each other but I want you to primise me - I was hoping not to find him here to give more time to the werewolves to get used to the idea.  
\- We're here asking for his help. None of us will attack him. - Kyungsoo assures me.  
However, Kai's face is not convincing enough. Either way, I know I don't have to worry much because they can't kill him. Jin is immortal like them.  
\- Okay, then come in. -  
I open the door and full darkness welcome us, thanks to the metal curtains Jin placed on the windows. The lamps are out so there is no light. It makes me smile to be again in a familiar place and also because I love the dark. For a few seconds, only my footsteps can be heard on the wooden floor. Ironically, they can see better than I can in the dark, but they prefer the light. I turn on the lights to illuminate the place and they start to get in one by one.  
\- Jin! - I scream a little too enthusiastic. I hear a growling behind me.  
\- Wait, that smell... - Kyungsoo says all of a sudden. He walks to the stairway when someone screams back with joy from upstairs.  
\- Kyungsoo! - Soo Yeon comes down running to hug her brother, who holds her in his arms for too long.  
\- Well, that was fast. That bloodsucker was useful after all. - Baekhyun says.  
\- I think we all know what really happened. - Sehun says when he comes to hug Soo Yeon.  
\- Yes, we do know. - Kyungsoo answers, looking at me with sorry written in his eyes. He starts climbing the stairs with his pack following him. Including the king.  
I go behind them in a hurry but they're faster and they follow Jin's trace with his smell. They find his bedroom and stop abruptly when they see him on the bed.  
\- Why is he in a bed? Why is he asleep? Why is your hair messy? - Kyungsoo asks Soo Yeon.  
\- What do you mean? - she asks back innocently.  
\- Don't be stupid. Vampires can't sleep. He's obviously unconscious. - I say going next to the bed. It's the first time in seven years that I see him like this. - What happened to him? -  
Soo Yeon takes a moment to answer me, she's looking at the careful way I'm holding Jin's hand on my own. My power is coming back quickly and stronger, so I'm not sure how much pain he would feel by my touch.  
\- I think he's hungry. He's been mumbling he needs blood. I didn't know how to help him. -  
\- Why would you want to help him? He brought you here. - Kai asks her.  
\- He didn't know what I was and tried to drink my blood. It's clear there was something wrong with him. -  
\- Then, why didn't you leave? You knew you were in the human world and you knew we were worried about you. - says Chanyeol.  
While Soo Yeon is being asked so many questions by her overprotective older brothers, I go to the safe hidden under a painting, another human thing, where Jin keeps his provisions of blood for emergency cases like this one.  
They look at me strange when I take a jar and try to make Jin drink it. I can only place a few drops of blood on his lips but is enough for him to smell it and lick them off. Little by little, I'll help him get better.  
\- This is disgusting. - Sehun leaves the room followed by Baekhyun who is feeling nauseous. These werewolves rip apart hybrid's faces but they can't watch a vampire drink blood.  
\- Well, thank you Jisoo for everything, we will be going now. - Kyungsoo takes his sister with him.  
\- We can't leave just like that, we don't have another place to go. - I hear Chanyeol telling him on his way out.  
Suho goes behind him. He's still in his wolf form and now that we let a night pass by without doing the ritual to break the curse, he didn't shift in a while. We must do it tonight or we'd have to wait to the next full moon and start all over again. They can't leave.  
I turn to Kai to tell him but I stay quiet when I see his expression. His eyes are glued to the hand I'm still holding. He looks up to see me. He's staring at me with disdain but there's something else. Sadness. I see him trying to speak but another voice is heard then.  
\- Jisoo... Jisoo... I broke the promise again. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. -  
I bend over to be closer to his face.  
\- You didn't, I'm here. Jin, I'm here. -  
\- I broke the promise... - he says again.  
I know what promise he's talking about and it breaks my heart to think he's still tormenting himself with it. He's still full of regret. A single tear rolls on my cheek and that's when the door closes behind Kai.

 

**\- Kai -**

I close the door and leave the moment I can't stand to watch it anymore. To see the clear affection Jisoo has for him is more than what I have thought. I didn't expect to feel this way and I certainly was not ready for it.  
Even before I reach the stairs I hear Suho's voice and I hurry to get there. The pack is surrounding Suho, trying to speak to him. It's been hours since the last time he shifted, I was worried he wouldn't do it again. The pack is happy since they're seeing him for the first time in weeks.  
\- How many fingers do you see? - Baekhyun asks him.  
\- You're waving your whole hand. - Suho says.  
\- You do seem to be a lot better. - Chanyeol smiles.  
\- Yes, I'm happy to see all of you, specially this young lady. - he tells to Soo Yeon. She smiles back.  
\- Now that you're like this, let's agree it's better if we leave. - Kyungsoo comments but Suho shakes his head.  
\- The fact that I shifted right now is good luck but it won't last long, so I will say it clear for all of you to understand. We can't leave. We will stay here and follow the plan we had before this happened to me. -  
\- Our plan of killing the evil witch? - Sehun says confused. The other times Suho transformed, he kept mentioning his mate but I didn't tell him who she is. I didn't tell anyone. It'll be a big surprise.  
\- Excatly. We have to do it soon. More werevolves are being forced to the experiments. We don't have any more places to go. We have to get rid of the evil of all evils once and for all. - he says with his firm voice.  
\- We'll continue our training and the investigations but, do we have to stay longer here for that? -  
\- For two reasons. One, we are going to accept Hanbin's help. - Suho looks at me when he says it.  
\- Suho!, you were there, you saw what happened. I attacked them because I can't control myself when I fight. The training will be too much for them. - I speak up.  
\- I was there and I saw what happened, they didn't blame you for it. They understand you have a problem because they're your people. In every battle the past warriors fought, they had the help of other werewolves. It looks like Hanbin and his pack will be our help for this battle. They will be warriors too. - Suho takes a deep breath before he continues his speech. - The people of my home, the people of Chanyeol's home, they were all destroyed. The rest ran away so we don't have a choice. -  
I stay silent. I have a lot to protest against it but he's the king. He is the leader.  
\- That's not a reason to stay here. - Sehun complains.  
\- The other is. We would include Jisoo in our plan as well. -  
\- What? -  
\- We'll follow their rule: only a witch can kill another witch. Jisoo's knowledge of their world would be our advantage too. -  
\- I don't think...-  
\- I'll do it. - Jisoo says from upstairs. Her eyes are blue and every step she takes makes a big noise on the wooden floor. This is the first time I see her with so much confidence. The movement of her hair leads the jasmin to my nose. I start to feel a tickling on my stomach.  
There's really something wrong with me if I despised her for the attitude she showed towards the vampire a few minutes ago, and now I'm back to feeling turned on. I look away before my thoughts become evident to the pack. She stands next to me and looks at me before she speaks again.  
\- Since I found out you were the warriors pack, I've been thinking in discussing this with you, in the possibility of killing Hye Ri together. And the king is right, I do know a lot of secrets that could be helpful. -  
\- You want to kill your aunt? - Soo Yeon asks.  
\- She killed my parents. Let's say is revenge. -  
She told me about her parent's death but never said Hye Ri did it. Did she have to live with her parent's murderer for years?  
\- Did you think of killing her before? - Kyungsoo adds to the questioning.  
\- I have been preparing myself for that. It stopped me that I didn't have my talisman but I found it. - she looks at my neck. - Besides, this is what she plans for me, too. I'd rather kill her first than dying in her hands. -  
\- You understand we're talking of staying here to train for the battle against your aunt and against your own kind? -  
\- I understand. -  
\- What about the bloodsucker? Will he understand? -  
\- This also my house and he'll agree to it. Jin has his own allies for the battle. The vampires used for the experiments didn't do it on their own account. They were abducted like the werewolves. -  
The silence fills the room. It's like nobody is completely convinced, only Suho and Jisoo are. However, none of us have anything more to say. I, on the other hand, didn't listen to anything after she said this was also her house, the one she shares with the vampire.  
\- We have an agreement then. - Suho says.  
Jisoo nods her head and turns to leave. I don't know why I do it but I grab her hand trying to stop her from going back to the vampire. Instead, Jisoo takes her hand off of mine quickly with an alarmed expression. I'm confused by it but is only for a second because her reaction made her take a few steps back and her arm touched Baekhyun's, who is now on the floor rolling and holding his arm.  
\- What was that? Why do I feel like I'm being electrocuted? - he screams.  
Jisoo looks at him for a moment and then turns to see her other hand and the one I'm still holding out. Looking at me straight in the eye, she comes closer and puts her hand on my chest. Electricity runs through my body but I don't think it's the same as Baekhyun feels, who is asking to make the pain stop.  
\- My power is back. - Jisoo says.  
I knew she was going to say it. I knew her power is back but I don't feel pain. She smiles and it takes me back to the time she was happy to be able to touch me, just like she's doing it right now. A memory keeps appearing on my mind that I tried to ignore before but that I no longer can or want to. The moment before she cursed me, the moment when I ran to her that fateful night. I ran following the same scent it always came from her that made me touch her hand with my nose. I didn't feel pain then, I never did. Because I was born to be with her.  
I smile now with the confirmation I didn't know I needed so much. The confirmation that Jisoo is my mate, she's always been. 


	12. Past.

**\- Jisoo. -**

I hear them talking. Their voices wake me up and I open my eyes for a moment before I close them again to stay still like I always do. I lay on the ground feeling the pain on my body for the wounds left on me of the broken curses. The wounds are big and deep.   
\- Did I tell you? We did it. - Hye Ri says while laughing. I feel her watching me. She believes I'm unconscious. She bends over and touches me. The fire burns me because my power is not working and the pain from the wounds grows. I stay unmoving. - The antidote works. It doesn't work as much as I would like, but this is enough for now. - she finishes.  
\- I'm glad to hear that, milady. My job as a doctor was successful. I would like to know what would be my gratification. It's because of this little witch I'm like this afterall. - says the man. A doctor he says to be.   
I don't need to see him to know what he's talking about. I don't need to see his atrophied arm. He's right, I did it. The night my power expanded, he received all the pain so his arm is useless now. The bitter tone of his voice tells me he didn't forget what happened.  
\- I know, Dr. Park. And I do have a reward for you. My trust and loyalty. - Hye Ri goes to the third person in the room, Hae Ra, carefully taking the object from her hands.  
\- This is something very valuable for me. For my family. I want you to take care of it from now on. I want you to hide it in your world for me. -  
Once again, I don't need to see anything. I feel the energy from it when the doctor unfolds the object.   
\- What is this, milady? - he asks confused.   
\- It's a weapon. It may not look valuable to you but it is to me. I want you to hide it well. -  
\- It looks antique. It could worth a fortune. - the doctor's voice sounds happy.   
\- I don't understand the humans' love for something as simple as money. But I don't want you to sell this. I know there's a place in your world where you can take things like this, hide it there. -  
\- In a museum? You want me to give this to a museum? -  
Hye Ri doesn't answer, she doesn't need to. For any other, this could seem like a conversation but is not. This doctor is one of the many allies bewitched by Hye Ri. He'll do anything she asks.   
\- I understand, it'd be my pleasure to fulfill such request. - he says. Then I feel him coming to my side. I'm not scared. It's been a long time since the last time I felt something at all.   
\- She seemed to be a witch with great power. I'm almost sorry she broke like this. But, if she's in this condition, then I can take revenge. An eye for an eye, a wound for a wound. - Hye Ri laughs with his words.  
He then proceeds to cut me from my shoulder to the forearm with the weapon Hye Ri gave him. That's when I open my eyes and stare directly at him. He jumps back from the surprise and the scare of seeing me.   
\- Her eyes are the only thing she moves. It's not so fun to make her break curses now. She's been like this since that night, when she injured your arm. The night her beloved dog died. -   
I bite my lips furiously but I keep quiet when they walk away. I don't want her to suspect anything. I don't want to let her know she unintentionally gave me what I needed to regain a purpose to live. Because the weapon the doctor used to hurt me, it's the same that killed my mother. It's the same that can kill Hye Ri, too. 

\- Can you feel where it is now? - Kai asks while we walk between the humans. My mind comes back to the present and I turn to him before I shake my head.   
With our intertwined hands in casual clothes, we can appear to be tourists visiting the museum. I look behind me to see Sehun and Chanyeol following at a close distance. From where I am I can watch Sehun make a face of disgust. He really seems to hate being in the human world.   
\- No. I feel more magic in here but not from the one we're looking for. - I answer.  
\- Are you sure you can recognize it? -  
\- Of course. I remember it well and I already told you I can sense the blood in it. -   
Since the moment I shared this story with them, although I left out some parts of it, they had a hard time believing the way to kill Hye Ri was so simple. But the truth is that witches don't use their powers to kill another witch. Special weapons with a kind of magic are used instead. Like this one. They couldn't believe the object is in this world for the humans to see. That's why we're here. I told them it wasn't necessary to come when we're not ready for the fight yet, but they insisted.   
Kai was the first to offer himself to come with me, something that didn't surprise anybody. Not even me. These past three days, I have felt his change towards me and I love it. I don't know exactly why, I just know I love it when he uses a simple excuse to touch me and to show my power doesn't affect him, like holding my hands, putting his arm over my shoulders or touching my hair.   
\- We're almost there. I can feel it now. - Even before I finish my sentence, I start walking to the place where the weapon is being displayed.  
I take a few steps and when a human is about to bump into me, Kai pulls me to him.   
\- Be careful with the humans, we don't want to be exposed. - he whispers into my ear. That's right, I forgot he also likes doing that. I nod with my head and I bite my lips which makes him laugh. I walk away embarrassed.   
\- That's the one. - I say when Kai stands next to me.   
\- It looks so simple. - he answers.   
\- It's supposed to look like that. It can't be startling, just like my talisman. - I point to the necklace he's still wearing. I broke Suho's curse but none of us has said anything about giving it back like he promised.   
Chanyeol and Sehun stand on the other side and have the same response as Kai did when they see the weapon. They can't feel the energy so it looks like another handicraft. Except that a lot of the things in this place don't have a human origin. Only a magical creature could know what these things are. In my case, this weapon is special since it has the blood of three victims. Hye Ri is one of them.   
\- I told you Hye Ri would not come for this. She's looking for me but she has no idea I know this secret of her. She thinks is more safe to keep it here. -   
\- I still can't believe the evil witch trusted a human. Did she not know the witches are evil but the humans are the most cruel? - Sehun says, looking at the tourists in the museum.   
It's not the first time I hear him talk like this about the humans, even the last few days when his pack went out to explore, he chose to stay in the house. He came today because he was forced to do it.   
\- The human she gave this is a doctor that did experiments. He's an ally she bewitched, she doesn't trust him. - I answer without trying to justify him. I know that doctor is under a spell but I never liked him.   
\- Okay, since we found it, can we leave now? It smells weird here. - Sehun walks away.   
\- This kid is not the most fun companion. - Chanyeol sighs.   
\- Let him be. We know why he's like this. - Kai says. These comments are making me more curious.   
\- Well, we have to figure out how we're going to come here to get the weapon when we're ready to fight. This place has a lot of security. - says Chanyeol.  
\- Not just human, maybe Hye Ri has people here. - Kai adds while looking at me.   
\- I think Hye Ri has allies to inform her if something weird happens, but other than that, I don't think she has people here. -   
\- We will be careful and find a way to enter without the security finding out then. -  
\- Jin will do it. He can be in and out of this place in a second. He also knows some tricks. -   
\- Tricks to steal? Was he a thief before he was turned? - Kai asks.  
\- He wasn't one but he learned form the best. - I say. Kai's pack liked the house we're living in becuase it's big enough for all of us. But I didn't tell them some of the interesting furniture were stolen. I'd have to tell them the whole story if I say something and I'm not ready for it just yet.   
\- I'll go look for Sehun so we can leave. You can continue with your date. - Chanyeol smiles when he sees us holding hands again before he turns around.   
\- The doctor you talked about, was he part of the experiments they did to you? - Kai speaks after a few minutes. His voice sounds regretful and I feel him squeeze my hand with support.   
\- Yes, he is. Although I didn't know what a doctor was back then, I just knew them as people in white gowns. -   
\- Sehun... was part of experiments. - he suddenly says. I'm surprised by it, I had no idea he went through that.   
\- It happened when I was captured. I was taken to your old home but they took him to something called laboratories. He escaped after a couple of months but what they did to him had an impact on him. He loses control and shifts easily. -  
\- Then I'm sorry he hates the humans because of that, it's mostly Hye Ri's fault. - I've been careful not to mention anything that could remind him of the curse to not lose the peace between us.   
\- That's not why he hates them, it's only a part of it. - Kai claims after thinking in his answer. We're still walking in front of the people in the museum but we don't have to worry about it. The humans see and hear what they want to.   
\- Sehun is half human. -   
\- What? - Nothing could've prepared me for that.   
\- Sehun's grandfather and our parents were in the same generation of warrior's pack. His father was an adult, not yet immortal, when Suho was born. Since he didn't have a pack to train with, he came to this world to spend his time and have fun or something. He was what they called 'playboy', and that's how Sehun was born. We look normal until we can start shifting, so when it happened, Sehun's mother abandoned him. -   
\- She abandoned a little boy? Her own son? -   
"Humans are the most cruel", Sehun's voice rings in my head.   
\- She became mentally ill, she was saying her son was a monster. The neighbors treated him like scum, they deemed him the son of a crazy woman. Sehun then began to shift so he could hide but people were still mean to a dirty dog. He experienced human cruelty as another human and as an animal. -   
\- How did he become part of your pack if he was in the human world? - I ask after not knowing what more to say.   
\- He found our world when he was seven years old. His resemblance to his father, his size as a wolf, and his ability to speak lydian were proof of who he was. His grandfather took him in to raise him because by that time his father had long disappeared. We believe he was one of the first werewolves to be captured by your family. -   
I cringe ashamed because of it. The story does fit in with the time the battles started, it probably happened like that.   
\- So Sehun was abused as a child and he was tested for experiments. I never thought he and I could have so much in common. -   
In fact, Kai is not the only one that changed his behavior towards me. His pack were not bad to me but they became more friendly. Even Sehun did. I'm just happy they don't refer to me as 'the witch' anymore.   
\- I guess you're right about that. But there was a time I didn't believe in what you once told me. -   
His confession is not new to me. I know perfectly my word didn't mean anything to him and that's why he called me manipulative.   
\- Do you believe me now? - I ask him as it could be the reason why he changed.   
\- I believed it when I saw you going through the process of breaking Suho's curse. You never lied about that, you didn't lie about your parent's death. The rest must be true, that's what I think. -   
I don't say anything. I'm standing infront of him staring at the talisman. It happens everytime I'm near him. Its calling is irresistible so I can't help it. Kai smiles every single time I do this but he stays quiet this time. He's waiting for the next thing he knows I'm about to do.   
\- Give it back to me. - I say in a low tone while I touch the necklace. We're so close I can feel his breathing. My eyes move to his lips and he says something I can't hear. My entire concentration it's there now. I stretch my hand with the intention of touching his lips.   
\- Kai! Jisoo! - Chanyeol screams in our direction and approaches to us with hurry steps.   
\- Did you have to come right now? - Kai complains. I'm thinking the same.   
\- Why? What were you doing? It doesn't matter, I can't find Sehun. -   
Kai glares at him like he would like to punch him before he points to somewhere behind me.  
\- Of course you didn't find him outside, Sehun never left the building. -   
We both turn to him and we see Sehun walking with his hands in his pockets.   
\- Oh, there you are! -   
Sehun looks weird. He seems distracted and his expression is not of disgust anymore, he looks confused. When he bumps into a human, he just bows in apology automatically and continues walking.   
\- Is something wrong? - Kai asks.   
\- It's nothing. I just... really want to get out of here. -   
Once again, Kai holds my hand to leave. 

 

*******  
The moment we open the door we can hear the voices all over the place.   
\- I'm telling you that's not how you do it. - Kyungsoo speaks loudly.   
\- And I'm saying it is. I know you're a prince, but why are you so stubborn? - the female voice answers.   
\- I'm the stubborn? -   
\- Thank goodness you're back! - Baekhyun welcomes us with a tired face. Sehun doesn't stay longer and quickly goes to his room.   
\- Are they still arguing? They've been doing it since we left this morning - says Chanyeol.   
\- They're arguing for everything. It's been a long and boring morning. Suho didn't even let me train with them. -   
Hanbin and his pack come from the backyard in that moment looking more tired than Baekhyun.   
\- Prince Jongin! I'm so glad you're here, when are you going to train us? I mean, I don't want to offend the king but he has a terrible mood. - Booby comes with a bright smile. Everytime I see them smiling to Kai like that, I feel proud about it. Kai has a big family.   
\- And we thought there was nothing worse than Hanbin's methods. - Yunhyeong sighs.   
\- The king is not so bad. If we want to be warriors we have to train hard. Not even Hana complains as much as you do. - Hanbin defends himself.   
\- The deal was simple, Suho is going to train you, not me. I can't do it, remember? - Kai answers after listening to their comments.   
They lower their heads and start walking when Kai walks.   
\- Stop following me! - Kai shouts but he isn't angry.   
\- You're the prince of our home, it's in our blood to want to follow you. - Donghyuk grins, something they all do but Junhoe. He seems to smile at Soo Yeon and nobody else. Although, I guess that's one of the perks of being a princess. The boys in Hanbin's pack are crazy over Soo Yeon, which gains them glares from the warrior's pack.   
\- It's almost ironic that Kai has followers when he can't train them, and we have no one other than Soo Yeon to train. - Chanyeol looks at them with envy.   
When I hear them talk about it, I remember the night Kai fought with the hybrids. I know he can't control it because of me and I feel regret. In the times I read about the pack of warriors, it was mentioned the people from the hometowns each prince was supposed to reign. Those people are loyal to them and in the case of Hanbin's pack, they are loyal to Kai who was to become their ruler. I feel sorry to them as well, because they were affected for what happened to Kai and now he can't train them as part of his responsabilities.   
I start to walk away to stop thinking in the past and Baekhyun walks beside me. He doesn't touch me. Out of all, he's been more careful to not have contact with me now that my power is back. He knows well what he would suffer.   
\- Kyungsoo said, that Soo Yeon said, that the bloodsucker said he wanted to see you. - he tells me before he turns to the kitchen to yell. - Shut up already! -   
But the two people in there don't even listen to him and continue their fight. I look at Rosé, the female werewolf. She and Hana are not werwolves anymore apparently, but they're still part of the pack. Hana trains with Suho because she's really strong, although she can no longer transform. Rosé chose not to do it, and she spends her time arguing with Kyungsoo about things like how to make lunch.  
I go to Jin's bedroom leaving all the noise behind me. I'm about to get there when I see Soo Yeon going out. She starts to clean the tears that I managed to see when she notices me.   
\- So you came back already. - she says with her soft voice. She's a nice and bright person but she's also quiet most of the time. And I understand why Kai's pack love her so much.   
She doesn't wait for my answer and passes me by while she starts crying more. I open the door to find Jin leaning on the bed headboard. He looks angry but smiles the moment he sees me like nothing happened.   
\- Why did you make Soo Yeon cry? After everything she's done for you, that's not the way to treat her. - I scold him.   
I did find strange the way he behaves towards Soo Yeon and I don't get it. He's always nice to everyone, he's even nice to the werewolves who took over his house. But with Soo Yeon he's almost rude. Maybe he's just embarrassed Soo Yeon had to feed him when he couldn't do it alone and I couldn't because of my power. I still find it strange, specially knowing that Soo Yeon never wants to leave his room.   
\- She said something stupid and I corrected her. That's all. -   
\- What did she say? -   
\- The most stupid thing I don't want to repeat. Was she really crying? Forget it, how was the museum? - he changes the subject.   
\- It was fun. - I sit on the chair next to his bed.   
\- Fun? Since when do you think going to the museum is fun? -  
\- When Kai decided to go with me. - I sheepishly smile. Jin knows everything that happened in the past. I told him about Kai a million of times so he knows of my feelings.   
\- I can't believe you're in love with a werewolf. Yoo Hyuk would turn in his grave if he knew. -   
\- You're lying. My father was a hopeless romantic according to your stories. He would've approved of my decision. -   
\- I never should've told you anything, you're using it against me. You're just like him. - Jin looks up while he thinks in his words.   
After listening to the stories Jin tells about my father, it was easy for me to know why he became my mother's weakness. The reason why she was killed. However, what I like to hear more is how my personality is like my father's. It helped me understand my mother did love me, in her own way, but she loved me.   
\- And why did you want to see me? - I ask.   
\- One of the many times the wolf came to check on his sister, he said they couldn't perceive her scent when she's here. My own scent is stronger. So it got me thinking that maybe the lucky charms could work on them. -   
\- The protection lucky charms? Do you want me to tell them about my powers? -   
\- You made a deal with them, they're going to find out sooner or later. Besides, if the charms work on them it's another advantage we would have. I know they don't work on me but it's worth the shot. -   
\- Okay, then I will. Thank you, Jin, -   
\- Where are you going, child? I'm not finished. When can I leave this bed? -   
\- When you can get up on your own. - I mock him. I know it's my fault he's bedridden. The day my power came back, I realized it when it was too late and my touch had already damaged him. Baekhyun felt he was being electrocuted but Jin runs out of all energy, so he can barely move.  
\- You can leave then. -   
I close the door making a face to him and I go to the other end of the hall. To my bedroom. It's been a pleasure to sleep in a bed I chose, in a place that is mine. I search for the little bottles I used as lucky charms for the magical exchanges. I take some of them and when I turn around, I see Kai standing at the door.   
\- Your bedroom is blue. - he says with a half smile when he looks up. He sees the paintings on the walls where one has a representation of a battle the pack of warriors fought a long time ago. He seems to be looking at everything except the bed between us.   
\- Jin wanted it to be pink but I like blue better. -  
\- Of course you do. How long have you been living with the vampire? -   
\- Seven years now. -   
\- Right. Since you ran away from that place. - he bitterly says.  
\- Are you, perhaps, jealous? - I tease him.   
\- I stopped being jealous when Soo Yeon said he was your family and not your lover. - he answers sincerely. I go speechless.   
He turns to leave but I hold him by the hand. I can't stop thinking how happy I am he doesn't feel any pain. I touch the palm of his hand with my fingers and I get excited. His hands are rough but warm. Mine are cold.   
\- I broke the curse so you have to give me the talisman. - I sense his tension. I didn't plan on telling him this now but I needed an excuse for stopping him.   
\- You said you'd cursed me again when I give it to you, will you do it? -   
He's not upset, he seems to be amused by it.   
\- No. We have another agreement now. -  
\- Then I'll keep it until this agreement is over. -   
\- I need it for the plan. If I control the magic in it, I can protect all of you from Hye Ri's curse or a spell, and not just me. -   
\- You didn't mention that before. -  
\- It wasn't relevant before. You don't believe me? - It was true, actually. That was the plan Jin and I had all along. To learn to control the magic of the talisman to protect ourselves.   
\- I do. It would explain why you needed it to confront Hye Ri. I just don't want to give it back just yet. -   
I don't quite understand his reluctance in giving me back something that is mine. The talisman doesn't have an use to him until the magic it's set free.  
\- You promised me. You have to give it back. - I simply say.  
He sighs but finally agrees. He takes the necklace off with one hand and puts it on me. The moment I have it again, I feel its energy attaching on me.   
Kai kept his hand extended allowing me to caress him. I never wanted to be able to touch or being touched, that's why I never learned to control my power. It was my protection and not even when Hye Ri made me break all those curses, I never wanted to not have it. It was my power, it was what made me into who I was.   
I never wanted to be able to touch or being touched until I fell in love with Kai. Until I met the person who taught me what friendship and love was. It was the first time in my short life that I wanted to be with someone. The curse let me touch him but it wasn't supposed to last, so I guess that's when my evil side emerged because I took advantage of it. I kissed him and touched him whenever I wanted to. The best part was, he seemed to like it. And I don't need curses now. My power doesn't do him any harm. Why? I don't know and I don't care. I can have physical contact with the only person I ever wished to do it. I'm just thinking in the fact that I can touch him and he can touch me.   
A mischievous smile spreads on my lips when I realize my evil side came back with the talisman. Because I'm about to take advantage of it again. I'll kiss him and touch him as I please. And I do. I let go of the bottles I held on my other hand and I place my arms on the back of his neck to lower his head so I can kiss him.   
The instant our lips make contact, my senses get paralyzed. I feel the heat running through my veins and the emotions multiply when he moans before he holds me tight. He pulls me to him and for a second I think he wants to interrupt the kiss, but he just wanted to close the door. Then he starts walking forward guiding my steps until I fall on the bed with him on top of me.   
The kiss becomes more intense and soon I feel wet between my legs when he starts biting my lips and kissing my neck. All of these sensations are new to me and I can't help feeling nervous but my instinct is telling me what to do. How to kiss him and how to caress him. His moaning it's all I need to know I'm doing it right. Suddenly, he stops.  
He looks to the door with a frown, he stays silent for a few seconds.  
\- Something it's happening downstairs. - he says with deep voice. He gets up and leaves in a hurry. It takes me some time to process what happened and follow him.   
I go running to the place the noises are coming from. The backyard. When I get there, the king's pinning Chanyeol against the wall.   
\- Suho, calm down! I didn't mean it like that. - Chanyeol manages to say.   
Kyungsoo, Bakehyun, Sehun and Kai try to separate them, but Suho appears almost crazy and he doesn't want to let go. It's until Soo Yeon goes to him and places her hand on his shoulder that he finally does. Suho looks at everyone with anger and frustration.   
\- What's going on? - Kai asks.   
\- Suho suggested that we... -  
\- It's not a suggestion, it's an order. - Suho interrupts Baekhyun.   
\- Suho, maybe you should think about it before we do something crazy. - Sehun says.  
\- There's nothing to think about. You would do the same if you were in my place. - he answers, looking at Kai and Kyungsoo in particular. He takes a deep breath.  
\- Get ready all of you, because we're going to go get my mate in the magic world. We're going to bring Hae Ra here. - 


	13. Disappear.

**\- Kai -**

\- You can't be serious. You can't let the King bring Hae Ra here. - Jisoo says with anxious voice.   
We're gathered in the living room. After the confrontation Suho excused himself and went out to the small city to clear his head. Hanbin's pack left, too. This place has plenty of room, but they don't stay because they're used to sleep in the open.   
\- Are you talking about the fact that both of them need to have heirs? Yeah, we know it's a problem. - Baekhyun says.   
\- We're getting ahead of this. The witch might reject him, maybe she's more objective and she could think about her responsability first. - Chanyeol replies.   
\- Why do we assume that Suho is not thinking clearly? Maybe he has a plan. Maybe he's planning on doing what the king of a thousand of years ago did. What was his name? - Sehun argues.   
\- Jong Hwan. His name was Jong Hwan. -   
\- What did that king do? - Soo Yeon questions her brother.   
\- His mate was human. Unfortunately, their children were humans, so he had to find a werewolf to have an heir with her. -  
\- Suho would never do that. - I say with a disbelieving smile. - He's the type to make sacrifices. If he has a plan, that's not it. -   
\- Do you mean he would want to give up the throne? -   
\- If he does it, he'd make the other kings go into war to acquire this land. Then they would force Suho to give up his immortality to kill him. -  
\- If Suho gives up his throne, he would go to Kris and ask him to take over this land to avoid a war with the other kings. -   
\- That's what Suho would do. -   
Jisoo stands up with her hands on her hips. She walks to the end of the stairs so we can all see her. She stares at us before she speaks.   
\- I understand your concern over the King's future, but I'm talking about the present here. We have more problems now. -  
\- What do you mean? -   
\- Hye Ri's obssesion to create the hybrids was because of Hae Ra. She had a vision of the perfect mix between a wolf and a witch. She planted the idea in Hye Ri's head. We can't be sure of how dangerous she could be. -   
Listening to her words makes the rest of us go into complete silence. Since I can't remember anything about Hae Ra, we didn't think of how much similar she could be to her mother. Suho, on the other hand, had been in a terrible mood because of it. But it's not surprising he decided to go looking for her.   
\- So, is Hae Ra more dangerous than Hye Ri? - Kyungsoo cautiously asks.  
\- That is a problem because Suho won't let us kill her if she is. - I comment after her confirmation.   
\- I repeat my words, Suho can't bring Hae Ra here. He shouln't even think in taking her away from Hye Ri. -  
\- We just said yes for now. We would try to make time and stop him from doing so. -   
When the pack start to get up to do their different activities, Jisoo asks to speak with them to discuss something else. I see her bring little glass bottles with a blue liquid and I remember the activity we were doing when we got interrupted. I start feeling embarrassed and frustrated at the same time.   
We've been talking about Suho's mate all this time but Jisoo still doesn't know she's my mate. The pack advised me to tell her becuase it would be easier for her since she knows what it means. However, I decided to keep it a secret for now. There are some things that changed for me, but there are others that I haven't forgotten.   
\- What are those? - Chanyeol asks looking at the tiny objects.   
\- It's what we call lucky charms. I used them in exchange of information. -   
\- What are they for? -  
\- It's camouflage. It's a small portion of my power, the part that makes my scent undetectable. I gave these to the witches that wanted to hide from the hybrids. -   
\- So, you're saying these things could make our scent undetectable to the hybrids and be invisible like you? - Baekhyun gets excited.   
\- For the tenth time, it doesn't make her invisible! - an irritated Kyungsoo answers back.  
\- It's what I'm hoping to be. It doesn't work on Jin but if it does with you then... -  
\- It's another advantage against our enemy. - I finish for her.   
The bottles are in Jisoo's hands and no one dares to take one from her, they are waiting for me to do it first. I take a step and I take one of the lucky charms looking at Jisoo while I do it but she looks away.   
\- Drink it. - it's what she says. I do it.   
\- Does it work? - I ask her. It taste like nothing, it's not even like drinking water. She stares at me and then shakes her head saying no. It doesn't work.   
That's what I think until I turn over and I see the pack going on circles staring at me.  
\- It does work. - Soo Yeon grins.   
\- Yeah, it does. You disappeared! - Baekhyun gets hit in the head by Kyungsoo.   
\- I want to try it. -   
\- Me too. -   
Now it's my turn to see Sehun and Chanyeol "disappear", at least from my sense of smell, because their scent become normal. If I couldn't see them, it would be as if they weren't here. The pack starts to have fun with this new discovery and I just look at Jisoo. They've read a few things about witches but they don't know what this means. I do.   
\- How can you do this? - I question her.  
\- I just can. It's not a big deal. - she looks away again. She has no intention to speak about this.   
\- It is a big deal. You're supposed to have only one power. - my loud voice gets the attention of the pack which makes Jisoo more nervous. Whatever it's happening, she doesn't want to share it with me.   
I step back. She doesn't trust me. This is just an agreement to get rid of a common enemy. That's it. One more time, I feel stupid for believing for a second that she could be feeling the same way I feel. I know she's physically atracted to me but nothing more. I mean, she couldn't touch anyone because of her power. If she can touch me, of course she would want to satisfy her curiosity.   
I feel her gaze on me while I walk away from her.

*******

It's been hours and I'm still hiding in this room. I chose this place for myself but I don't sleep here. I just spend my time here. It's a spacious room like the rest and it looks to have been unoccupied for a long time. There aren't many furniture, just a couple of decorations.   
The man of the big painting on the wall stares back at me. The first time I found this room, the pack thought he was the original owner of this house because of his old clothing, but I saw something else. I could only see those eyes. Jisoo's eyes.   
\- Are you her father? -   
_Yes._  
\- Were you a vampire? -   
_Of course not. Vampires can't die._  
Were you a witch then? -   
_Most likely._   
\- How did it feel to fell in love with an evil witch? -   
_You would know._   
\- Jisoo said she never met you because you died before she was born. If you had been there for her, would she have been different? -   
_Had that been the case, you two may have never met._   
\- But she would have been happier, right? -   
_What about you? Do you think you could've been happier without knowing Jisoo?_   
Would I have been happier? If Jisoo had not been in that house when I was captured, one of her aunts would have cursed me, there was no way out of that one. I would have been an irrational wolf like the others and forced to enter the competitions. There's no way out of that one either. Because of who I am, I know I could have survived but, for how long?  
Lastly, would I still have gone through the hell I had been? Would the nightmares still be there, would I still be unable to sleep under a roof? Would I still be out of control when I fight?   
Easy answer: Yes.   
At the end, Jisoo was not the only reason of my suffering, and yet she was the only one that made me feel safe when she was with me. She was my companion, she was my friend.   
If she had not been there, would I have been happier?  
It's an even easier answer: No.

*******

The sun rises. It's a new day. I enter the front door to the now very familiar noise of a full house. The arguing of Kyungsoo and Rosé in the kitchen doesn't distract me. Seeing Soo Yeon going upstairs taking a tray with a glass of blood does not distract me either. Baekhyun's pleas to Suho to let him train, the complaints of the young werewolves, the laughter of Chanyeol and Sehun's stare can't distract my mind from where I'm going.   
My nose follows the jasmin scent to the farthest part of the backyard. The part where the sun can't reach. The place where a witch, unaware of my presence, is reading a book. I stand close behind her, almost shocking her when she bumps into me.   
\- Good morning. - she softly says. Her cheeks blush. - Where did you go yesterday? You did disappear. -   
\- I had some things to think about. -   
\- I thought you were angry at me. -   
\- I don't have a reason to be angry, do I? -   
She looks down feeling guilty, and that at least makes me feel better over my wounded ego.   
\- I guess not. -  
\- About what you told me yesterday, how are you planning to control the power of the talisman? -   
\- I'm not so sure. I'm trying to find out more about it. - she shows me a book that reads 'Talismans and lucky charms' on the cover.   
\- My aunts didn't teach me anything about this because I never wanted to learn to control my power, so I don't know what I'm going to do yet. -   
\- Perhaps I could help you. The talisman never did anything when I had it, but the days you were breaking the curse, it glowed when you were glowing and the energy coming from it was also strange. -  
\- I know. It glows because of my power and... wait, what did you just say? -   
\- It glowed when... -  
\- Not that, about the energy you felt. -  
\- Yes. I don't know how to explain it, just that it made me feel, powerful? Something like that. -  
\- That is weird. The glow is a common thing and of course you saw it, but I don't think you're supposed to feel the energy. You use your nose to recognize other werewolves and different creatures, but the witches only have the ability to feel the magic in another witch. That's what you felt. -  
\- So am I becoming a witch now? - I tease her.   
\- Becoming a witch... - she trails off and turns around to see the werewolves training.   
Jisoo stares at the pack but she's paying more attention to Hana, who is busy doing the exercises to realize she's being observed. Her expression makes me curious but I wait until she speaks again.   
\- Those two female werewolves were part of experiments, right? -   
\- Yes. Hana and Rosé were captured two years ago. They were already following me by then but we couldn't help them. It was fortunate the experiments didn't turn them into hybrids. -  
\- That's right, it didn't turn them into hybrids. - she's still looking at Hana but turns to me and smiles like nothing happened. - This book it's not helping me. I need someone who knows about it. -   
\- Do you mean another witch or did you change your mind about Hae Ra? -   
\- I need an old witch like Hyun Woo but Sun Woo said he died. -   
I take a deep breath.   
\- I killed Hyun Woo. That is how I knew where to find you. He told me before he died. -   
I remember clearly the night I found him. I felt triumphant to finally be able to kill him and I can't even say I regret it or that I feel remorse about it. The stupid witch thought he had an opportunity to live when he told me where Jisoo was hiding, but he was sentenced to die the moment I took a step into his lair.   
\- Well, you are really a warrior. You killed a very powerful witch. - There is no sorrow in her voice. Who could feel sorry for a beast like him?   
\- I had to do it. -  
\- I know. -  
We stare at each other silently. Even if she was not my mate, my plan of killing her it's already forgotten. But the thought of having the idea it's still on me, so I feel awkward. I think she can feel it. I think she knows.   
The moment breaks when Hanbin's pack come to me. They're training as werewolves now, which is why Hana is no longer with them. And now that they're in this state, they come to me by instinct.   
\- Kai, get away from here, you're distracting them. - Suho says.   
I sigh before patting Hanbin's head and I walk away. I realize then that they change their attention to Jisoo. If I decide to accept my responsability as a prince, Jisoo would become their princess, so they're starting to feel loyalty towards her as well.   
It makes me smile and when I walk to the house, I feel her behind me being followed by the young werewolves.  
\- Great, now Jisoo is also a distraction. - I hear Suho complain but I don't say anything back. I just keep walking.   
When I get to the living room, I see Chanyeol, Sehun, Kyungsoo, Baekhyun, Hana and Rosé staring at the stairs.   
\- Jin! You're up! - Jisoo exclaims with joy seeing the vampire walking with a cane. Soo Yeon stands after him.   
\- Yeah, and no thanks to you. - he answers.   
\- With that walking stick you look like an old man. Oh wait, you are one hundred and seventy six years old. -   
\- You just wait and see child, just wait and see. -   
But as he stops talking, he sits in one of the steps to catch his breath. This is an amazing view for us and we just watch him in surprise.   
\- Wow, that's the aftermath of your power? You can make a vampire be like that? - Chanyeol says to Jisoo in wonder.  
\- I was lucky she barely brushed her arm against mine. - Baekhyun adds.  
\- It's worse because I was starving when it happened. - the vampire talks back.   
The animosity between us is in the air but he also seems to be more open about having us here in his house. It could be because he would be part of the plan.   
\- Well, it's too bad you're not entirely recovered because I want to go to underworld right now. -  
\- Why do you want to go there? - I ask, even though she wasn't talking to me.   
\- I told you I need an old witch. In underworld, there is someone that could help me. -   
\- Can I go with you? - Soo Yeon comes down, ignoring the tired vampire when she passes by his side. - Since A CERTAIN SOMEONE doesn't want me here, can I go with you? -   
The vampire makes a disgruntled face, but it's only for a second and I think I'm the only one who noticed it. These past days, Soo Yeon has been taking care of the vampire. It wasn't strange for us. When she matures, she's going to be as strong as us or even stronger, but she has a special ability that we don't. Sympathy. She used to bring wounded animals all the time to take care of them. This is what she's been doing with the vampire and it's nothing to worry about.  
\- I have a better idea. - Jisoo says. - Let's all go. -

*******

The "underworld" looks different on the inside. The humans go from side to side having fun with the loud music and their alcoholic drinks. They wouldn't know if something weird is happening even if they witness it. Although, using the lucky charms Jisoo gave us, we can blend in well with them.   
\- You can smell the sweat on the humans but not on the witches. That's the difference. - I hear Kyungsoo explaining to Soo Yeon.   
Baekhyun and Chanyeol are moving to the rhythm of the music. Rosé and Hana are looking at everything curiously. Sehun looks like he wants to be dead.  
Nobody's paying attention to us but I can see the strange looking people, witches probably, staring at Jisoo. According to what she said, they can recognize her because they feel her power.   
Jisoo starts walking among the people and it's almost magical to see them getting out of her way, as if they knew what they're facing if they touch her.   
\- Mi Joo! -   
\- Shh! Do not call my name so loud. Some people here don't know it. - claims the woman that Jisoo was looking for. She's wearing black and high heels. Her lips are bright red and her hair is bleach blonde. - Hello, handsome boys. -   
She winks at us and then I see the ring on her hand. I recognize her. She was one of the bystander in the competitions. I tensed up.   
\- I don't have anyone claiming to know something right now, that's why I haven't called you. But I have been calling Jin, where is he? I feel lonely. -   
\- I'm not here to talk about your sexual encounters with Jin. I have something important to ask you. Let's go to the basement, now! - I've heard the authority in her voice before, the witch's heard it before as well because she does exactly what Jisoo said.   
We go down to a small room with nothing but colorful bottles of liquor. We can barely listen to the music now. The rest stayed upstairs. I'm here to watch over Jisoo.   
\- So you got yourself a boyfriend. It was about time you did. - the witch says when she sees me sticking by Jisoo's side.   
\- Do you know how to control the magic of the talisman? - Jisoo asks, going straight to the point.   
\- How can I know that? I lost mine two hundred years ago. -   
\- Mi Joo, I know you know more about it. Hyun Woo knew and since you're his sister, you must know, too. -  
So I wasn't wrong. She was there watching the battles. I think she even bet on me once or twice. What would she say if she knew who I am? What would she say if she knew I killed her brother?   
\- Yeah, and that bitch of Hye Ri turned him into an insatiable greedy. Did you know the bastard tried to kill me more than once? And now my nephew is a disgusting hybrid. They deserve all the punishments for their sins. -  
Maybe she won't care.   
\- Hyun Woo is dead. Sun Woo will be soon, but first you have to tell me what you know. - Yoo Rin insists.   
\- It's simple. A conduct, that's the key. -  
\- What do you mean? -   
\- Seriously Jisoo, how can you not know anything? You should've taken lessons from Ma Ri at least. Look, the talisman is a conduct of your power to make a curse, and to be able to control its power, all you need is another conduct. In other words, you need someone who can receive the energy. But that's the thing, it has to be someone strong enough to endure it. Someone special and extraordinary. -   
\- Somone like a warrior prince? - Jisoo turns to me when she says it with a smirk.   
\- Yeah, well, good luck with that. The warriors disappeared a long time ago. Oh, it would be very nice to have a boyfriend who is a prince. There's no royalty in the vampire's hierarchy, right? -   
Jisoo just continues to smile saying thank you and goodbye to the other witch. When we go back to the club, we see Soo Yeon dancing in the middle of the dance floor. Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Kyungsoo and Sehun are dancing around her, like they're making a bubble to protect her from the humans and witches that want to get close to her.   
It's becoming problematic all the attention Soo Yeon is getting from the opposite sex, specially because to us, she's still a baby. We need to realize she's turning into a beautiful woman and she may find her mate soon.   
\- Would you like to dance? - Jisoo shyly asks me.  
I take her by the hand to a part of the dance floor where the lights don't shine as bright. I know how much she likes the dark. Jisoo starts to move pressing her body to mine. It's different to the times we danced together before, but I don't mind it. We're dancing and coordinating our bodies with every move. Any doubt of not being sexually compatible goes out of my mind.   
Her flirtatious smile, her tempting eyes are telling me to kiss her, but then the music changes to a slow beat. This time it does look to the old times. She places her hands on my neck and I place mine on her waist. Her jasmin scent it's delicious but the sexual moment it's over. It's just peaceful now. It's full of memories.   
\- When you offered help this morning, I didn't know you could actually be what I needed. - there's this soft tone in her voice, she was about to cry.   
\- I guess it was meant to be. - I stare at her bright eyes that are turning blue.  
She looks at me intensely, trying to know if what I said had another meaning. She looks down before I can say anything else. She leans her head on my chest to hide her face. I look up and I'm surprised to see Kyungsoo dancing with Rosé. While the rest are sitting down, these two are enjoying a slow dance. I think this is the first time I see the possibility of Kyungsoo being happy with someone else, even if she's not his mate.   
Then I turn to the other end of the dance floor, to another dark place. Seven pairs of eyes are watching us. Well, they're watching Jisoo more than anything. She doesn't feel their gaze because she's used to the presence of witches that are curious about her. But I can see the warning signs all over them.  
\- We should go. - I whisper in her ear. It hurts me to feel her disappointment but she agrees with me.   
When we leave the place, I have a deja vu sensation remembering the night we came for Jisoo, only that this a starry night. But I still can't get the feeling that something's off, so I hold Jisoo's hand tightly.   
\- I'm glad we are finally leaving, I couldn't stand it anymore. - Sehun says.  
\- What are you talking about? I saw you dancing happily. - Baekhyun replies to him.  
\- Because witches were dancing around us, and I can take their smell, but not the humans'. -   
\- There you go again with your hatred for the humans. - Chanyeol sighs.  
They're walking in front of us, the three girls walk behind us. They are all talking about the experience of a human club. I realize I'm the only one feeling uneasy and I think that maybe I'm overreacting. Jisoo's lucky charms are a disguise, after all.   
We turn to the alley where we parked the car. Suddenly, something stops us. Literally. We are paralized, our eyes are the only thing we can move. We can't talk either.  
From the shadows, the seven men from the club appear. One of them is holding his hand up. This is his power. They are witches.   
\- Take them. - says the tall one with dark hair.   
He comes closer, staring at us and our hands held together, he takes a deep breath and then takes Jisoo's hand off of mine. If I could move, the first thing I'd do would be to open my mouth in shock because her power doesn't seem to affect him. He holds her in his arms taking her away from me.   
\- Let's go! - he screams and the street lamps go out one by one. We're in complete darkness now.   
They make a circle, holding Soo Yeon, Rosé and Hana as well. Another witch turns to us and smirks before he speaks.  
\- Bye-bye. -   
And then they disappear.


	14. The Clan.

**\- Jisoo. -**

I can't move. The witch comes and breaks me apart from Kai. He's touching me but he seems to not feel anything. He holds me in his arms and I'm getting away from Kai.  
\- Let's go! -  
They all come bringing Soo Yeon, Hana and Rosé. They form a circle and take each other's hands. Then we're somewhere else. Still in the city but somewhere I can't recognize.  
The man that was holding me backs away to lean on a wall. The street lamps flicker, the man has lightning going all over his arms and hands, eventually it covers his whole body. I was wrong, my power does affect him.  
\- Are you okay? - one of the witches asks him.  
\- I'm okay. It's just more than I thought it would be. She's really powerful. - he looks at me while saying it. He gets up. - Kihyun, put these girls to sleep. -  
The witch starts doing what he was asked to do, I try to look away when he stands in front of me. If he would need to touch me for his power to work, I would be safe. But he only needs to see me in the eyes for me to start feeling sleepy and soon I close my eyes.  
When I open my eyes again I notice I can move now but I'm tied up with a rope that feels weird. I don't know how long I've been sleeping. Now, we're in a room illuminated with candles. The walls are made of glass and we're in the middle of nowhere. There are a lot of plants around us.  
\- They woke up. - I hear the blonde guy say. The witch with the paralyzing power.  
\- You filthy witches! How dare you do this to the princess? - Hana yells at them.  
\- How did she call us? Filthy witches? - the guy with dimples and the power to disappear is astonished.  
\- You're going to pay for this when I can get my hands on you, stupid witches. - Rosé is also angry.  
\- But you will regret it more when I shift. - Soo Yeon adds. Although I know the strange rope is stopping her from doing it. I wish I could know what this is.  
\- What do you want? - I sound calm unlike them, but I can see the witches being more scared of me because of that. They know who I am.  
\- It was difficult to find you, but we finally did. -  
\- I know this isn't the magical world, where are we? Why did you bring us here and what are your names? -  
\- I used to be your neighbour when you lived with your mother, before you went to that house, don't you remember me? -  
I shake my head to say no. There is nothing about him that looks familiar to me. He looks down and lets out a sigh.  
\- My name is Hyun Woo. These are Wonho, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Jooheon and Changkyun. We're witches. -  
\- I know you're a clan of witches. Answer me the rest. -  
They look at each other and then Wonho steps up.  
\- We already told you, we were looking for you and this was our chance to speak to you. -  
\- If you were looking for her, why did you bring us all here? And I tell you that if you're planning on killing us... -  
\- We brought you because you're witches, and we don't kill our own kind. - Kihyun interrupts Hana.  
\- We're not witches, we're werewolves! - Rosé is getting angrier by the minute.  
\- Stop lying, we can feel your magic and when I was tying you up, I saw the marks on your hands. Although, it can barely be seen. - Jooheon laughs.  
Rosé and Hana go quiet after that. Clearly, they knew something was happening to them, even if they didn't understand it. I knew it the first time I saw them. The experiments didn't turn them into hybrids, it turned them into witches. I wonder if Hye Ri knows about this.  
\- Why did you bring her? - Wonho asks Minhyuk about Soo Yeon.  
\- I brought her because she's beautiful. - Minhyuk covers his cheeks with his hands like a little kid would do. - But I'm not sure what creature she is. -  
\- I'm the princess of a warrior pack. And I'm immortal so you can't kill me. -  
I never thought I would hear Soo Yeon telling a lie, and she has her head up while she says it. Kai's pack seriously underestimate her. The other two are still in silence but unafraid, because the witches don't look like a real threat.  
\- We don't want to kill anybody, Princess. - Hyun Woo comes to me. - Specially we don't want to kill you. -  
\- Then tell me what is it that you want so we can get the hell out of here. -  
\- You should know it by now, why would a clan of witches be looking for you? It's not a surprising thing that there are witches with the intention of killing the evil witch. -  
\- But it is surprising. I thought it didn't matter to you, as long as it didn't affect your lives, you didn't care. And the rest are only scared witches hiding in the human world. - I sound bitter but I am right. I guess I resemble Hye Ri in this. I despise the cowardly witches that turned a blind eye to what what was happening in our world.  
\- We do care. We've spent our time trying to fix things in our miserable world. We want to make a difference. - Changkyun sounds proud of his words.  
That's when I see the marks of fangs on their arms. They were used to feed the hybrids. Us, the witches, don't like being bitten by vampires, but if a hybird does it, they do not only leave indelible marks, but the pain of their bite it's unbearable. With this new information, I pay more attention to my surrounding area. I see the plants and I notice the cauldron on the table.  
\- You're practicing old magic! You're making potions! - I understand now why the rope felt strange. It has a powerful magic on it that can affect the powers of a witch, preventing Soo Yeon to shift as well.  
\- The old magic is the best. The evil witch was stupid to stop using it. Did you know there's a potion to eliminate the power of a witch entirely? I bet you didn't. That's our plan to get rid of Hye Ri. Because she needs to be stopped, once she gets her way with the hybrids, she's going to attack the humans. -  
They have all my attention at this moment. Not for the danger the humans would face, I knew that already. I know Hye Ri's intentions. I know her. But I had no idea there was a potion like the one Hyun Woo described. If I could get it, everything would be easier. This clan can only count on it, but I think they don't know how they're going to kill her after that. She'd be powerless but still stronger than a human.  
\- I will take care of killing Hye Ri. Give me the potion and I will use it well. Unfortunately, I already have a clan so I don't need you. -  
\- Your clan are the strange beings that were with you a while ago? -  
\- They're not strange beings. They're the warriors pack. -  
There are whispering of disbelieving for Soo Yeon's confession. It was unexpected to them.  
\- They didn't look as strong as the legends say. -  
\- They kill hybrids. They can kill you using just their claws. - I reply haughtily.  
\- Then it's too bad they're far away from here. - Hyun Woo doesn't lose his smirk. - And we aren't stupid, Jisoo. We won't give you the potion, unless you agree on staying here with us. -  
\- I wouldn't stay here even if I was crazy, thank you very much. If you're done, I order you to let us go and take us back to the place we were. -  
The tone of my voice, my attitude and body language are all signs of my anger. They can feel it and as they stare at Hyun Woo, they wait for his answer.  
\- What are you planning to do after you kill Hye Ri? - that's all he asks.  
\- The misery will be over. -  
\- Wrong answer. We still have Hae Ra, and you know she's also dangerous. -  
\- Hae Ra has to survive to have a daughter, an heiress. If she doesn't, no more witches with powers would be born. You know that. -  
Ever since I found out Hae Ra was Suho's mate, I've been thinking about this. I am more worried for the present, but just like Kai's pack, I was also wondering about the future of the witches kind. I know we're evil, but our species must go on.  
\- Hye Ri and Hae Ra will die, the witches will still have you. -  
\- What? What stupid thing are you saying? It doesn't work on our family like that. I may share Hye Ri's blood but I'm not her heiress. -  
\- But you're as powerful as she is. - a female voice is heard. A voice I know.  
I almost get a heart attack when I see Ma Ri standing in front of me. I was convinced I would never see her again, I was convinced she was dead. It's been so many years since she disappeared. But I see the marks of fangs on her, too.  
\- You're as powerful as her. That's why you know you can kill her. But Hyun Woo is right, Hae Ra needs to die as well so you can rise as the new evil witch. -  
\- I don't want to be an evil witch. And this is what you've been up to all this time? Planning your sister's death with old magic? You look more like a copycat with an ally named Hyun Woo, just like her. -  
\- Hye Ri would've loved to have this Hyun Woo by her side. He can transform the pain and turn it to electric energy. I think you saw it yourself, he can touch you with no major consequences. -  
That explains why, despite being in contact with me, he seems to be fine. Yes, Hye Ri would've loved to have him on her side. She would've loved to have them all because they all have a strong power.  
\- Please, Jisoo, we're not the only witches wanting a revolution. There are hundreds of them willing to fight Hye Ri, but with the condition that you become the new evil witch. -  
\- I told you I don't want to be an evil witch. -  
\- Then don't. Let's bring the royalty title back, and you can be a Queen. -  
\- Suho won't let this happen. -  
\- The King won't let this happen. -  
Soo Yeon and the new witches speak at the same time. They're probably thinking that Ma Ri can convince me. It's not possible. I never wanted this.  
\- What King are they talking about? - Ma Ri questions the clan after realizing the presence of the other three people beside me.  
\- This young girl claims to be a princess. A warrior princess. - Hyun Woo answers.  
\- I assure you the warriors will come for me. - Soo Yeon loudly says.  
\- And one of them, a prince, will come for the witch. -  
\- Looks like Jisoo found herself a clan of werewolves. What do you call them? Oh right, a pack. - Hyun Woo continues smirking.  
\- If that's true, they will come for the princess. Take her back. -  
Minhyuk looks disappointed but he stays quiet. I'm about to ask them to release Rosé and Hana when Soo Yeon speaks again.  
\- Didn't you hear? A prince will come for Jisoo. She's his mate and there is no place in any world where he wouldn't go for her. -  
There's absolute silence this time. I turn to see Soo Yeon but she's only staring back at the clan. I can feel my heart racing but then I remember the lie that Soo Yeon told before. This could be her way to get me to be released as well.  
\- Is she telling the truth? - Ma Ri looks into my eyes.  
\- Yes, I'm the mate of a warrior prince. - If Soo Yeon is lying, I'll go with it. After all, I do it better.  
\- Where is Mi Joo? She didn't come with you? -  
I hear the panic in Ma Ri's voice with her questions but I'm more upset in knowing that Mi Joo was part of this.  
\- She stayed in underworld, why? -  
\- We need to go to a place she doesn't know. We need to... -  
The wall of glass from my left side breaks into million pieces. The pack of warriors are here. I can recognize all of them. Even Hanbin's pack. Jin is also with them, he looks weak, but his anger is more visible. He's holding a sad Mi Joo. It starts to pour then.  
It happened so fast and the clan was not prepared for this. The pack see us being safe before they start fighting. The warriors attack and Minhyuk manages to stop them only for a few moments. In their animal form they're more resistant to that power and Minhyuk seems to not be able to control it.  
It's six warriors, seven young werewolves and one vampire against seven witches. I can tell who is going to win. Although, looking at the way the warriors are fighting, I don't think they're planning on killing the clan. But the witches can't know that, and so, they could keep attacking until someone ends up dead.  
\- Take Jisoo away! - Hyun Woo yells at Jooheon.  
Kai, who was stepping aside form the fight to not lose control, realizes what the witch means, he sends Jooheon to the air. The witch is left unconscious after the fall. Kai once again, steps aside. He's only in front of us watching the fight.  
Wonho uses his ice power to freeze Suho. The king breaks the ice with his strength. Wonho then throws pieces of ice to cut him, but the warriors heal their wounds fast. Kihyun puts to sleep some of the werewolves, including Sehun, which gives the witches the advantage. Changkyun, with telekinesis, throws any object he can find. He throws Baekhyun against Chanyeol. The ground begins to shake, Kyungsoo loses balance until he falls into an earth hole. It's Hyungwon's doing.  
The raindrops are thick, thanks to Mi Joo, and it's almost impossible to see clearly. And there's Ma Ri, who uses her healing power to cure the wounds on the clan. But she's learned to control her power, so she can use it in reverse making the wounds on the werwolves to be deeper and it's harder for them to heal. However, her power can't wake Jooheon up. He's still unconscious.  
In this fight, Hyun Woo is the strongest adversary. His electric energy makes the werewolves go through a lot of pain. They're having trouble to concentrate as well. Jin comes to us feeling weak still.  
\- Are you okay? - he asks all of us.  
We nod with our heads. We were never in danger in the first place, but they wouldn't know that.  
\- I'll take you with me, but I have to untie you first. -  
After untying Hana and Rosé, he comes to Soo Yeon and his expression it's something I've never seen before. They stare at each other in silent, Soo Yeon shifts to join the fight soon after that. Jin follows her with heavy eyes.  
That's when I see Kai starting to attack. I don't know what made him get in the fight. The things are different with him, he's more accurate and lethal. I can even see his own pack trying to stop him, which confirms my guess that they didn't want to kill the witches. But it's too late now, Kai dodges the witches and their powers with ease, he goes to Hyun Woo and tears part of his arm, along with parts of his leg. Hyun Woo returns the favor with his electric power, Kai growls in pain.  
\- Jin, you have to untie me now! -  
\- I have to take you home... -  
\- No! I have to end this fight. -  
He does what I ask, although, by doing it he loses some of his recovered energy for touching me again. I get up quickly, I start touching every witch and werewolf I see, having my eyes set on Minhyuk. I grab his left arm, I place my hand on his mark and I absorb his power. He falls to the ground claiming to feel his arm explode.  
I raise my hand. Everyone gets paralyzed. I knew it, I'm stronger than him. I can easily stop everyone.  
\- What are you doing? We have a common purpose. Because we're enemies, we can't fight next to one another, I know, but I won't let this to keep on going. You wanted a queen? Well, I cammand you to leave me alone. Find your way to kill Hye Ri and we will find ours, but this ends here. -  
With the exception of the sleeping werewolves, I know they all can hear me. My voice it's the only thing that can be heard. It's no longer raining, the weather went back to normal.  
I do a gesture with my hand allowing them to move, but I keep Kai paralyzed. I saw his eyes, he's out of control again. The rest can calm themselves down to stop fighting, Kai can't do it.  
The two packs come to me, they're on my side. Ma Ri stands infront, with the clan next to her.  
\- You almost lost an arm and one leg. You're going to be fine, because we also have that in common. We can regenerate. -  
Hyun Woo stays in silence, he looks at his wound unconcerned of the bones that can be seen. He's been hurt before, that's for sure.  
\- We will leave, I didn't want this fight either. I just want to say I was right, you are as powerful as Hye Ri. You inherited your mother's ability to absorb powers. It means you have more than one. And to be able to use Minhyuk's power like that when it isn't yours, do you know how special you are? Please, Jisoo, come with us. -  
I feel the attention of the werewolves on me, and even if I'm imagining, I see Kai's eyes on me waiting for my answer.  
\- You want to kill Hae Ra, I don't. I'm not going anywhere with you. -  
The moment I say Hae Ra's name, Suho tenses up. He wants to attack them again. I give him a warning with my hand, I don't want any more trouble.  
\- But, aren't you worried that she, just like you, inherited her mother's power? The power to bewitch? If she did, our problems won't end until she dies. And Hye Ri will find the perfect werewolf to become a hybrid. Hae Ra saw it happening, it will come true. -  
\- Listen to the king of the warriors. He's growling at what you're saying. He doesn't like it. Leave before he decides to attack you again, because if he does, the others will do it too. And I don't think you would like it if I stop you but not them. -  
They turn to the white wolf and finally understand my words. Ma Ri nods her head, she looks to the side where Kai is, she frowns but doesn't say anything. Then, she talks to Jin.  
\- Long time no see, Seok Jin. You do seem to have a cross fate with our family. -  
He just scoffs showing his fangs. I know he's not happy to see her.  
\- I will see you again, Jisoo. I promise. - Hyun Woo walks away.  
\- You are welcome to join our clan if you want to. - Kihyun tells Hana and Rosé.  
Rosé dislikes the idea, but Hana steps up. It's a surprise for everybody, including me.  
\- I'm sorry, but we are not werewolves anymore. It's time to accept what we are. - she says goodbye to Rosé and her old pack before taking the hand that Hyungwon offers. Jooheon's awake now, he's dizzy but he's ready to disappear with everyone. Mi Joo looks at Jin with sad eyes.  
\- Jin, I... -  
\- I was interested in you for one reason. It's lost now. Go with them, you have nothing left with me. -  
The witches make a circle and disappear. We are left peacefully alone now.  
\- What you did was brave, stupid, but brave. I'm proud of you. - Jin says. The others are still in their animal form, then I see them stare at something behind me. I turn around to see Kai walking slowly to me.  
I probably let him move when I was focused on stopping Suho. Although Kai looks different than before, the warriors get ready to get in his way nonetheless.  
I raise my hand again, not with the intention to stop him, but inviting him to come to me. He does, and I go back in time. He touches my hand with his nose, just like he did before. When he won in the competitios, he always came to me to do what he's doing right now. I was right that night after the battle with the hybrids. He did recognize me because when he's like this, he sees me like before. He sees me as his owner.  
I think of what Soo Yeon said about being Kai's mate. I thought she was lying at first, but Kai's behavior towards me these past days tells me it could be true.  
A new determination grows on me. I'm his mate and he is my mate. He belongs to me. He's still mine.  
"I guess it was meant to be"  
I pat his head, like I did before, to say the words he always liked to hear:  
\- You won the battle. Let's go home, Kai. -


	15. See You Soon.

**\- Kai -**

I stay in my place. Just watching. It's not what I had in mind, but it's best for everyone and I know it. I promised it before we came here. I wouldn't fight. I can't lose control. There are too many lives at risk. I can't interfere.   
It was a relief to see they were okay. But the witch named Mi Joo said it. She said the clan didn't want to hurt anyone, she said they were safe. That's what makes me keep my promise. Because I can sense that Jisoo is not afraid.   
The fight continues and I do my best to just stand still but, then I see him. The witch who took Jisoo from my side. He sees me as well, and he probably can't recognize me like this but he acts so arrogant that I feel angry about it. I still can't believe his name is Hyun Woo. I fucking hate that name.   
Mi Joo said, the clan wanted to convince Jisoo to join them. To convince her to leave us and go with them, her own kind. Own kind? She doesn't belong with them, she's much more than what they could even imagine.   
Through the thick rain, I can see the witch who's standing in the middle. She seems so different than the rest. She's only using her mind and eyes to inflict pain. I know who she is. She's Ma Ri, the witch with white hair.   
The noise and the picture of the fight bring memories from the past. The constant punishments, the endless fights, the killings. The witches and their laughter. Their desire to see blood. Everything is confused in my head. I should walk away, I should turn around before something bad happens.   
I can't do it.   
I close my eyes, and then I enter the battlefield. 

*******

_The voice that is heard is close. I can't move, I don't care, the only thing I can perceive it's that voice. The voice from my dreams, the voice that dominates me._   
_"Beat them all"_   
_I'm trying._   
_"Beat them all"_   
_That's what I'm going to do, but I can't move._   
_"Beat them..._   
_"What are you doing?"_   
_That voice that repeats in my head over and over, is saying something else this time. It's the first time I hear it like that._   
_My vision clears. I see her now, I see her standing in front of me. My owner. She came to see me. This time she came to see me fight again. She came back for me._   
_She lowers her hand and I can move. She was keeping me unmoving. She was stopping me._   
_I slowly go to her. There are other people there but I only see her. She turns around and I see her face. Her eyes are on me. She tells me to come closer and I don't hesitate to do so. I touch her hand with my nose. She's here, she's here._   
_\- You won the battle. Let's go home, Kai. -_

*******

\- Was it a dream? -  
Those are my first words after I wake up. The pack's surrounding me but they don't answer. I don't pay attention to the fact that we're back in the vampire's house. I don't pay attention because the dream seems so real. It's still in my head when I open my eyes.   
I saw her. I saw Jisoo. I could recognize her and she... she has another power. But, was it a dream?   
\- I told you he would wake up like this, unlike the other times. -  
\- He calmed down before he transformed, does it mean he's cured? -   
\- I don't know. Something was different this time. -   
\- We all know what was different. -   
\- Was it a dream? -   
I ask again despite being completely ignored. But after I see their faces, I understand why they're acting like this.   
\- What was a dream? That you broke your promise? - Chanyeol says disapprovingly.   
\- We told you not to fight but you did it nonetheless. - Baekhyun adds.   
\- Soo Yeon was there, she even joined the fight but you didn't care. Kai, you could've killed her! - Kyungsoo scolds me like the other two.   
\- You could have killed everyone not immortal there. You didn't hurt anyone badly, but for how long would you be this lucky? - Suho shakes his head.  
\- Aren't you going to say anything? - I ask Sehun. The truth is, that I'm also disappointed with myself. They're right about it.   
\- Did you really stop because of Jisoo? Did you stop because you knew who she was? - that's what he says in return.   
They turn to me waiting for my reply. And I guess that answers my question. It wasn't a dream. The image of Jisoo standing in front of me was a memory. It was reality. The image of her with fire form the last time must be real, too.   
\- Yes, I knew who she was. Where is she? -   
They smile. Chanyeol's expression is triumphant, because he told me so. He said Jisoo could help me and he was right. She could make me fight without losing control.  
\- She's sleeping in her bedroom. She's tired. -   
The pack proceeds to tell me everything I missed from being in my blackout moment. The first thing that Suho says to me is that we're going for Hae Ra at the sunrise because Ma Ri wants her dead. Hana left with the clan because she and Rosé are witches now, that's what Kyungsoo says heavily. Hanbin and the rest are sad they lost a member of their pack, but there was nothing they could do for her.   
Out of everything they're telling me, I want to hear about Jisoo's power the most. I don't need to confirm it, I just want to know more about it. But I guess I need to ask Jisoo.   
That's why after the pack leaves, I go to her bedroom. The sunrise will be in a couple of hours, there's still darkness but I can't sleep anymore.  
I open the door and close it behind me. I see her lying in her bed and I breathe deeply. It's not the first time I see her like this. She sleeps peacefully, although tired, and she's unhurt. She's like me, unscathed. It doesn't matter how much I get hurt in a fight, I'm always the first to heal. Usually, I don't have any wounds after I wake up, and today was not the exception.   
\- Why are you watching me sleep? - she suddenly says. And I'm supposed to be the one with a better night vision.   
\- Did they have to... -  
\- I saw you there. -  
\- punch you again to wake up? - she finishes her question despite my interruption. She smiles, understanding what I said, and I smile because of her words. She remembers the first time she witnessed what happened to me in a fight.   
We keep an awkward silence. I know Jisoo had been avoiding to talk about the curse, so was I, but I guess it's inevitable now. It happened, we can't keep pretending the opposite.   
\- It's the first time I recognize something or someone when I'm like that. I never remember anything, it's all blank in my head. But I could see you last night, I could know who you were, and I can remember it. -  
\- You were acting like you did before. You treated me like your owner. -  
\- You told me to beat them all and that's what I did. That's what I always do. - I don't want to start an argument, even though my voice sounds bitterly painful. I have a hard time thinking about that time, for what I did to the werewolves I killed.   
\- You should know that they would have died either way. -   
\- I know. We were in the territory of the evil witches, we were already dead when we got there. - I thought about it all the time. I accepted the idea that I was going to die in there.   
There's more silence between us. I think, in some way, the good relationship that was growing is falling apart. All of the things that are still in my mind and that I can't forget, are making me talk more. I have to know. But, there's also a part of me that wants me to bury it, so that we can go back to our peace.   
\- I saw your other power. Absorption? -  
\- It was my mother's. I got it from her, it's unusual, but I did. -   
\- Since when do you know? -   
\- Since the night I ran away. I absorbed Hye Ri's power, without her knowing. -  
\- The fire, that was your doing? - I remember the strange way the fire spread.   
She looks at me surprised, her expression darkens.   
\- Right, I forgot. You were still there when it happened. - she said these sames words before but still get to me. I was there when she ran away. She forgot about me but I was still there. I was locked up, I was cursed, she didn't care. She didn't care about me.   
I'm having trouble breathing. Coming here was not the best idea. Talk about the past, specially the things that bring me so much pain, can make me volatile.   
\- Are you going for Hae Ra? - she asks me.  
I take my time to answer. She changed the subject so suddenly, but I think she doesn't want to lose the trust we had. I'm sure she can feel my tension, just like I can feel her sadness.   
\- We are. Suho wants to go before Ma Ri decides to go for her. I know you may not like it, and that this isn't our house, but we can't stop Suho now. -  
\- Killing her is not part of my plan. If the king has to go for Hae Ra, then so be it. She's his mate, isn't she? -  
There's something to the way she says the last words and I frown. I don't know if it was my imagination but, there was something there.   
\- They said that Ma Ri wants you to be the next evil witch. -   
\- I don't trust in Ma Ri just like I don't trust in Hye Ri. Whatever she told the clan, was a lie. It's not my responsability to have children to preserve our kind. -   
Her voice is now full of hatred. I'm not surprised of her change of attitude, not even when her eyes shine with contempt. This is one of the things I know were true. Jisoo does not trust in her family.   
\- Don't get too close to Hae Ra. Don't let her touch you, or else she would know everything about you; your past, your present, your future. She needs to touch your skin for that to happen, so you have to cover yourselves before you go to her. Take her talisman off as soon as possible. -  
\- Understood. -  
\- I don't know if she can bewitch, but even if she can't see, do not make eye contact with her. -   
\- Understood. -  
\- I know it's going to take you time to find her in the magic world. - she continues.  
\- Weeks maybe. We won't comeback until we find her. - Hae Ra hasn't been marked as Suho's mate yet, however, we already feel the need to protect her. So we have to find her soon.   
\- If you'd be gone for a while, can you stay here with me for now? -   
Jisoo leans back in her bed and makes a space for me. I hesitate a moment to do it, I'm not in my best condition. Not emotionally or mentally. But, I do as she says. She hugs me.   
\- If my talisman could protect you, I would give it to you. - that's the last thing she says before she falls asleep again.   
I don't even try to. I can't sleep in a bed, or in a room. I can't sleep inside four walls. I need to shift and sleep outside. Still, I use the time to hold her back. Everything feels so much better now. Just like I was told, my mate will always make me feel a thousand times better.   
Her scent is sweet, and just having her this close to hear her breathing, it's enough to relax. I forget why I was so angry at her to begin with, I just hold her in my arms. The minutes go by, the sun starts rising. I know I have to get up but I don't want to let go of her. I don't want to lose this moment.   
There's a soft knock on the door. It's the pack. They know I'm here and they have come for me. I reluctantly get up, slowly, so I won't wake her up. With the sunlight, I can see the lucky charms on her nightstand she had prepared for us to take.   
I lean again, and I kiss her softly.   
\- Sleep tight, Jisoo. I hope to see you soon. -

 

**\- Hae Ra -**

Hye Ri left today. I saw it in her future, she won't find me here when she returns. I kept seeing it in the future of the servants as well. Today is my last night here.   
I take a bag with me and I go out to the dark forest. Everyone's sleeping, there's a total silence. I walk slowly, I am not in a hurry. I don't feel excitement or panic for what I would find out there. I don't feel anything. There won't be problems for my disappearance, I don't think mother would care. She's trying to have more children, despite the constant miscarriages and stillbirths, she wants to have a child who is not as weak as I am.   
I'm getting further away from the house. I didn't see anything that showed it would happen there, it must be somewhere else. The vision was in an unknown place, so I have to get out of here.   
I stop short when I feel I'm being observed. There is someone behind the trees I know through different eyes. Someone who is watching my every step.   
\- Who's there? - I don't get an answer, but I know someone stands there.  
I turn to my right, to the place I feel a presence. Soon enough, the steps confirm my suspicion.   
\- I finally found you. - a male voice says.  
I don't know who he is, but he sounds familiar. I go closer to touch him, he moves away easily.   
\- I can't let you touch me, Hae Ra. -  
He has the advantage. He clearly knows who I am, and I don't know anything about him. All I know is that he's not a witch. I don't feel the magic coming from him. He's not a hybrid, either. So, what is he?   
\- She's alone, there's no one with her. - he suddenly says.   
\- I'm a hundred percent sane, there's no one else here. This a big opportunity. -  
\- I know it's a strange coincidence. -  
\- How is this a set up? Nobody knows we're here! -   
The crazy man keeps talking to himself. It's just the two of us here. Unless the man is talking to somebody else with those human things, a cellphone. It would explain why I can only hear him.   
I was wrong. The soft sound of footsteps tells me there are more people here. And I understand now, they're werewolves. They have this weird way to communicate with one another. The stranger is in his human form talking to the others who are in their animal form.   
Thinking about werewolves in the magic world, wolves that were after me, reminds me of what Sun Woo said. The werewolves that come to our world, the warriors pack. That leads me to think about that wolf. Curiosity grows on me.   
I walk fast to him while he's distracted. I put my hand on his neck, startling him. His mind is full of happy memories, as if he's only thinking about the good times. I see his memory of running in the woods . The memory of his parents, saying goodbye to him. I search in his present, I can see the other five werewolves that are with him.   
But it's his future what interests me the most. Without losing time, I look for the image I wanted to see. The image I already had in my head the first time I met him. The image of myself, hurt, and bleeding.  
\- You finally found me. - I repeat his words. - You finally came for me, my angel of death. - 


	16. Intruders.

**\- Kai -**

\- Explain it to me again, because I do not understand completely. - says a confused Baekhyun to Suho. We're walking in the forest of the lycanthrope world in China.   
We got here in our three weeks quest to find Suho's mate. We're away from home, we're tired, we're hurt, but above all, we're confused as to what Hae Ra said.   
She's asleep, while Suho carries her on his back.   
\- There's nothing to explain. She just had a vision, that is all. -  
\- There's nothing to explain? She called you angel of death! - I sound frustrated.   
\- Fine. I'll tell you again but is the last time. On that occasion, when we were fighting the hybrids, I perceived her scent from miles away and I... -   
\- Not that part. The part where she says she dies. - Chanyeol interrupts him.   
\- After I told her she was my mate, she was curious about me, she touched me and saw in my future what she calls her own death. She got scared and that's why she cursed me. - he finishes with a sad tone.   
I always found strange why he never explained the whole story of what happened between the two when she cursed him. Now I know why.   
\- So, to find and protect Hae Ra we've been three weeks away from home, going hungry, being constantly attacked by Kai everytime we fight the hybrids, only to discover she's in more danger with you? - Kyungsoo is angry.   
\- She's not in danger with me. I'm her mate, I will always protect her. -   
\- But, if she says to see herself bleeding in your arms, don't you think it means that you... -  
\- That I'd be the one to kill her? Are you crazy, Sehun? You can't understand it because you haven't found your mate. -   
Sehun sighs agreeing with him, just like Chanyeol and Baekhyun, who feel no right to say anything since they don't have mates yet.   
\- Okay, so if I do get your situation, I agree with Kyungsoo. If you knew she was in danger with you, why did you come for her? -   
I can't understand his logic of wanting to be close to her, if she's going to find her death by his side. If it was me, well, I don't know what would I do if it was me.   
\- Why can't you get it? She's not going to die in my arms. I'll make sure of that. -   
He doesn't want to talk about it anymore, given by his tone of voice. We're still doubtful but we continue to walk in silence. Either way, we already brought her with us.   
The twenty five year old witch is not what we thought she would be. She doesn't look like Hye Ri, although she uses the same long dresses. I wasn't able to remember her even after I saw her, which means I didn't have any contact with her before. It also means she didn't take part in the competitions.   
The night falls. She's been unconscious all day due to the drugs the pack use on me after the fights. Suho didn't want to drug her at first, but ended up accepting. It's easier that way.   
Seeing Hae Ra sleeping all day reminds me of Jisoo. This is the fifty time I think about her today. I never thought I'd missed her this much, I hadn't realized how much she became part of my life again. I really want to see her, I want to see her eyes turning blue, I want to see her blush and bite her lips. Dammit, those lips. I should've kissed her more often.   
I'm distracted with those thoughts. It's my turn to lead and be aware of any danger but I can't concentrate. That's why I take a big a surprise when six wolves stand in front of me.   
\- Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise! -

*******

\- Leave me some, I'm starving. - Chanyeol yells to Baekhyun.   
\- It's too late. I'm going to eat everything. -   
\- It's enough food for everyone. You don't have to fight for it. - Luhan scolds them.   
The table is full of food. As expected from the home of a king. I take a look around while I eat. It's been over a year since the last time we came here but I still like to see everything. Suho's main home was a lot like this place before it was destroyed.   
\- When I heard rumors of intruders in my lands, I never imagined it would be you. - Kris smiles.  
\- You should've told us you were coming, we could've prepared a welcoming. - Lay adds.   
\- The thing is that we didn't know we would come here. We were looking for her. - Suho points to the sleeping Hae Ra.   
\- Wow! I've never seen a witch this close. - says Tao. He, Chen and Xiumin are staring at Hae Ra lying on a couch. They're staring too close, and Suho lets them know that.  
\- It's weird to see you eat like this, you usually let Soo Yeon have the best part of the meal. - Chen goes back to sit.   
\- Yeah, it's too bad little Soo Yeon didn't come with you, she's so cute and you, well, you aren't. - Xiumin makes a face after seeing us stuffing our faces with food.   
It's been a long time since the last time we had a proper meal. Since we were on guard and going from places to places, we couldn't go hunting.   
\- Soo Yeon stayed home. She's training. - Kyungsoo explains.   
Home. It sounds weird to hear that about the house of a vampire. But we hide in there, and since Jisoo is there, I guess I can call it home as well.   
\- Is she still training? She's not immortal yet? - Luhan asks.   
\- Actually, she's training follower warriors. -  
\- Are you training follower warriors? - my answer surprised Kris.   
\- We have to. We're getting ready to fight the evil witch. -   
We go silent after Suho's words. Kris and his pack, have stayed away from the problems we had with the witches. They are proud to have peace in their lands with the other creatures, including the witches. Besides the fact that they have to deal with their own problems, although we don't what it is.   
\- That's funny. You're willing to start a fight with the witches, but your mate is one of them. Have you thought about the repercussions of your actions? -   
I feel relief when I hear Kris asking that to the other king. Suho listens to our opinions, but his opinion would have more impact on Suho, and we know that.   
\- That's not all. She's also the daughter of the evil witch. - Sehun has a serious tone.   
\- What? -   
\- So, you're not only risking your future, you're also risking hers? I admire your courage. - Kris answers. Although, it could be easier for him to say that, since he found his mate with no trouble. She was from Luhan's hometown.   
Suho hangs his head low. I was right about it. Kris has more impact because he's also a king. I start to think that we may be able to convince him about Hae Ra's vision, so we tell the whole story to the other pack.   
\- You're taking too many risks at once. You're planning to kill the evil witch, and your mate says she's going to die where you're next to her, it's a clear proof that you would do it, don't you think so? - Lay is as confused as the rest of us when we first heard it all.   
\- You know very well that if you kill her when you're already emotionally involved, you'd die of sadness right after her. You won't be able to stand the pain of killing her, you will give up your immortality and die. - Xiumin sternly says.   
\- Or, is that what you're planning on doing? You're not afraid about what's going to happen because if you do kill her, you'd just die after her. - Luhan says as well.  
Is it? Is that his plan?   
We stop eating to look at Suho, who is only staring back at Kris.   
\- If you die, there's going to be a war with the other kings. -   
\- But you would be there to stop it. There's cordiality between the other packs, but we're friends. If you step up to be the king of my lands, my people would follow you without a doubt. -   
And there it is. This is what I thought he would do. He did have the plan to ask for help in case he didn't leave an heir behind. He would take advantage of the friendship between us, because we could become loyal to Kris if we have to.   
They're stunned to hear him but we're not. We weren't sure of it, but we knew. Kris then asks to speak with Suho in private, however, they don't go anywhere because Hae Ra wakes up in that moment.   
\- Where am I? - she asks in that same tone we heard before. Indifferent.   
We get up. The other pack of warriors are fascinated to see a witch. We're just being careful.   
\- You're safe. That's all that matters. -   
When Suho blindfolds her, she places her hand on his neck one more time. I take a step to go closer. Jisoo said she shouldn't know everything about us and I agree. But judging by their response, I'm the only one that cares.  
Luckily, Hae Ra seems to just want to "see" where she is. I can tell by the way she's moving her head from side to side, as if she could see everything and everyone. We don't say a word. We don't have much to talk with her, at least not now. Her head stops at my direction and I know she's looking at me. I don't think she knows who I am.   
\- I'm still tired from the drug you gave me, I would like to sleep in a real bed. -   
It's not surprising she knows she was drugged, but is her tone what makes us frown. She's not demanding a bed, she's just saying it. There's no emotion in her voice. No fear or curiosity. There's nothing. I'm starting to feel sorry for Suho.   
Kris says yes to Suho's silent request of a bedroom. He gets up, leading Hae Ra.   
\- Are you going to sleep in the same bedroom as me? - she asks Suho.   
\- Not exactly. This place is really big so don't worry about it. -   
\- I'm not worried. We're going to have sex, I saw it in your future. -   
Suho almost tripped over his own feet thanks to Hae Ra's words. He proceeds to smile like a fool when he takes her away. We're left sighing in defeat, now he's not going to leave her. All of our progress goes out of the window with just one sentence.   
\- Why is your pack so weird? Your king's mate is a witch, isn't he afraid of her? - Tao questions.  
\- That witch is not that scary. Kai's mate, who is also a witch, is scary for real. If you touch her, she electrocutes you! - Baekhyun's telling it like it was a horror story. I speak up.   
\- Jisoo is not scary. -   
They look at me as if I have lost my mind.   
\- Kai, I know you're blind by love and all that, but you have to admit that Jisoo is scary. - Chanyeol says.   
\- Jisoo is scary, this one's creepy. - Sehun agrees. I can't argue that.   
\- Did you find your mate already? -   
\- Why didn't you say it? -   
\- You are more advanced than us in this. -   
\- We should celebrate! -  
\- You, out of all people, have for a mate a witch? -   
We go back to a tense moment afert that question. They know my story with the witches, it's a subject we don't openly discuss, since it would make us talk about why they couldn't or wouldn't help us with that in the first place. However, Chen saves the day.   
\- Hey, there's a group of nymphs around here. -   
\- There are nymphs here? - Sehun is happy about it.   
\- They arrived about a week ago and we were going to hang out with them tonight, do you want to come? -   
They start leaving one by one, except for Kris, who has his mate waiting for him. I refuse politely to their invitation. I'm not interested in seeing nymphs or anybody else when all I want to do is go back to see Jisoo.   
The house is left empty and in dark, with only silence filling the rooms. I go out to walk around feeling safe. I won't find enemies here. Besides, I need to find a place to sleep.   
I'm not too far away from the house when I see Chen, who is sitting under a tree. I go to him.   
\- What are you doing here? I thought you left to see the nymphs. -   
\- Not tonight. I'm not in the mood. - he replies.  
We stay in silence. I'm just looking at the starry night. From this place, we can see all the land that belongs to Kris. It's a wonderful sight to clear your head. It's the reason why Chen is here.   
\- Did you fix your problem? Can you fight without losing control? -   
I don't know what to say. I wasn't expecting he would ask me about it when he tried to avoid the topic before. I think he's asking me for a reason.   
\- Not yet. -   
\- You should, before you do something to regret it. - he pauses for a second. - I... found my mate this year, too. -   
\- Really? - I don't dare to say anything more because he sounds sad about it.   
\- Yeah.... although she's not here. She rejected me. She's human and I... I attacked her... -  
\- What do you mean you attacked her? -   
\- Something happened... something I can't say. The thing is that I did... she never understood who or what I was from the beginning. And when it happened... she didn't want to see me anymore. It was a terrible mistake that I paid with her rejection. But what matters to me is that she's well. She's living her normal human life, happy and with somebody else. -   
What am I supposed to say after that? I would've never thought that Chen, or any of them for that matter, would be able to attack a human, even less their own mate. I know the thing that he can't say is the same secret they've kept all these years, so I won't ask about it.   
Chen gets up, he's smiling as if nothing is wrong and looks at me before he leaves.   
\- You really should fix that problem before something unexpected happens. -   
He walks away and I'm alone again. His words are in my head. I begin to imagine Jisoo in the way Hae Ra described to have seen herself. I begin to imagine losing control out of the blue and doing the unthinkable, attack her.   
From the times I could recognize her, I can't explain how or when it happens. Her voice doesn't get into my head, it's already there. I can see her and know who she is, but, what if it's not enough eventually? What if I recognize her a second too late? The drugs are not working anymore. I have to be beaten until I faint in order to stop now. I'm losing control and I have to do something about it. Ironically, the person that I want to protect the most from this, is the only one that can help me.

 

**/Hye Ri/**

\- You sure have courage to intrude in here knowing what I feel about you. - the werewolf says through gritted teeth.   
He's looking away while he talks to the witch sitting in front of him. He doesn't dare to look at her in the eyes, in case she decides to bewitch him.   
\- I don't want to be here either. - Hye Ri replies. - I'll make this quick for the both of us. The warriors from that land, Korea, as the humans call it, are alive. -  
Anthony, the former warrior prince from the lands in America, starts laughing hysterically.   
\- I know. The king Junmyeon and the princes are alive, I know that very well. Do you think I'd be in this miserable little piece of land if they were dead? Those lands would've been mine already. -   
Hye Ri smiles. It was absurd for the werewolf to say such a thing considering how he was left with nothing after the king of his pack passed away with no one to take over. The other packs fought for this land and Anthony lost it. Although, Hye Ri knew the reason why he wasn't in his best shape to fight and she was going to make sure to take advantage of that.   
\- I imagined you did know. But, do you know they're protecting a witch? That they're protecting Jisoo? -   
\- Ji... Jisoo? The daughter of the bitch who betrayed me?-   
\- The one and only Jisoo. The exact replica of Woo Ri, that acts exactly like Yoo Hyuk. -  
\- You fucking bitch! -   
The man has the reaction that Hye Ri wanted, but she doesn't like the tone he used to speak to her. One glance and the whole place is set on fire. The fire is everywhere, burning alive in one second the two mortal wolves guarding the door. The only ones safe are Hye Ri and Anthony. He calms down after that, he knows he can't mess with this witch. She then stops the fire.   
\- You come to my den to talk about the powerless witch who stole my mate. - he simply says.   
\- I came for a reason, but I want to know something first. If you're a warrior prince and Woo Ri was your mate, can her daughter be the mate of a warrior prince as well? -  
His silence is all what Hye Ri needed, and now she has a bigger smile on her face. It will make everything easier. Ever since she learned that the warriors were alive after all, she knew her dream of the perfect hybrid was coming to reality sooner than she had expected.  
\- Why did you really come here? -   
\- I came for Woo Ri's talisman. I know you took it from Yoo Hyuk when you killed him, which I was blamed for, by the way. -  
\- The talisman is not yours so it won't work for you, that's what Woo Ri said, so why do you want it? -   
\- Oh, but it does work for me. At least it will. I need it to kill the daughter of the woman who made you miserable like this. -   
Anthony's eyes shine with interest. He just needed one more push to give in to her demands. Hye Ri knew exactly what to say.   
\- I need it to get rid of what makes it impossible for you to take over those lands you liked so much. I need it to kill the warriors. - 


	17. Glowing And Marked.

**\- Jisoo. -**

Today is the first day after Kai and his pack left to find Hae Ra. Everything seems normal. It's a day without incidents. Their absence can't be felt, although the house is more quiet, but things are still normal. Jin has to stay in bed for this day because of my power and the young werewolves have a day off from the training. Nothing more happens just yet.  
I miss Kai.  
Today is the third day and something's already different. Soo Yeon has to train the other pack and it was a big surprise to see the sweet side of her change to a tough one. But taking into account that she's been trained by the warriors pack since she was a little girl, there is no doubt she'd be a strong leader. Suho definitely knew what he was doing when he put her in charge.   
I miss Kai even more.  
Today is the fifth day. I get another surprise when I open the door to see Jin and Soo Yeon about to kiss.  
\- You'll be permanently "asleep" for who knows how long until your body won't stand to be without blood and you will never wake up again. - I say to Jin, repeating his words when he told me about the consequences of drinking a werewolf's blood. A kiss can easily lead to a bite.   
\- It was a mistake and an accident. It won't happen again. - he says with an unreadable expression.   
\- It wasn't a mistake and it's already too late for warnings. - Soo Yeon tells me with a fierce look.   
I just hope that Jin is right. He leaves home tonight. He goes hunting.   
\- I have to go. You're the only one safe since I can't smell your blood, but I have to get away form the werewolves and the temptation. You said it yourself that Soo Yeon... I mean, the werewolves are poison to me. -   
That was his reason for leaving. The fact that a werewolf's blood is poisonous to a vampire, doesn't mean it isn't appetizing or that they don't have the need to drink it. I'm sure it's been a torture for Jin to be surrounded by werewolves everyday.  
He comes back the next day claiming to have met with Mi Joo in underwolrd and that they rekindled their relationship. He can drink Mi Joo's blood and she's probably the only witch who likes to be bitten by a vampire. It's a win-win situation. He ignored Soo Yeon after that. I think I don't have to worry about it anymore.   
I miss Kai every moment.   
Today is the seventh day. I finally can talk to Rosé about who she is now. She was sad at first because of her friend but went back to her normal self shortly after. She is a positive girl and she still hangs out with her pack, who treat her as if nothing's changed.   
\- I think Hana realized how different she was the more she kept training. - she says with a sad tone after she tells me the whole story of their capture.   
I find it weird from the beginning to the end. She says to have never seen Hye Ri for the four weeks she was in there, which makes no sense to me. Hye Ri would never let somebody else in charge for the experiments.   
\- How did you escape from there? -  
\- A doctor helped us. He's human and has a disabled arm. He said he didn't want us to get killed. -   
This makes even less sense. Dr. Park is just a pawn, he has no power to make a decision on his own.   
I don't want to tell Rosé that he probably never had the best intentions by letting them go. He most likely had a different plan. I don't want to tell her that because I don't think it matters now that she's safe.   
Instead, I have to tell her that she would never have powers. The experiment put a mark on her left wrist and I can feel the magic in her but no power. It's something that has never been done because it's impossible. The witches that were killed when trying to be more powerful are a proof of that.   
\- If we can't have powers, why did the clan offer us to join them? -   
\- Because they make potions. They're doing old magic and all you need for that is to have magical energy inside you. That is why Hye Ri banned the practising, she didn't like that a powerless witch could make the same potion as someone with powers. -   
I tell her all about Hye Ri and the rules she set for the witches to live by, but I talk more about a powerless witch, who lived many years with no trouble. Yoo Hyuk, my father.   
She lost her immortality but, as a witch, she would live hundreds of years. I tell her all the stories that Jin once told me. I think I made a new friend.   
I still miss Kai.   
Today is the ninth day. I've had enough of having the young werewolves following me everywhere I go. It wasn't a big deal before but it's strange now. They follow me trying to do anything for me. I don't like it, I can do everything on my own.   
\- We don't know if the clan of witches would come here looking for you. - Yunhyeong anwers my question of his motives.   
\- They won't risk themselves to come here. They know they would be in disadvantage if they do and they're not that stupid. -   
\- It's our duty and honor to protect you. - Hanbin says proudly.   
\- It's your duty and honor to protect me? What about Soo Yeon, shouldn't you be protecting her? -   
\- We do, it's an honor to protect both of you. Prince Jongin asked us to do it. -  
The smile and the look on his face when he hears Soo Yeon's name almost makes me miss the part where he said it was Kai's idea. These days, Hanbin spends a lot of time with Soo Yeon because they have to plan the training. To see him blush like this assures me that what happened with Jin and Soo Yeon won't take place for a second time.   
After a brief questioning, I let them be. If they want to follow me and it was what Kai told them to do, I won't refuse.   
I miss him triple than yesterday.   
It's the tenth day. Something weird finally happens. I was doing more research about my talisman when I walked next to Rosé making her scream in pain. I knew I passed her by without touching her. I looked at my arms and legs understanding everything.   
\- What's wrong? Are you okay? - Soo Yeon asks me with concern. As usually, she's the first to know something is not right. Her eyes get bigger when she sees mine turning blue.   
\- The glow around me expanded a few centimeters. My force field grew. -   
\- What does that mean? -   
\- She felt pain when she touched my glow not when she touched me. -  
\- Is it like the time you told me? - Jin says. He doubtfully stands next to Soo Yeon. Things have been awkward between them since the incident.   
\- That was the only time it happened until today. -   
\- Did something strange happen that could activate it? -   
Yes. I have been thinking about Kai every second.   
The next day, I can't come down. I have to stay in my bedroom after waking up with my glow expanding to a meter away.   
I had been dreaming about Kai that night.   
Three days later I am still locked up in my room. My glow is now four meters away from my body. It never expanded this much, not even that one time. I can't stop thinking of Kai and the pain of his absence feels physical now.   
The fifteenth day Jin spends the day outside my bedroom trying to convince me to come out. He doesn't like to see me locked up, it brings him bad memories.   
\- Jisoo, please, child come out of there. Yoo Hyuk wouldn't have liked to see you like this. - he knocks softly on the door.   
\- Stop saying that!... You're just making it worse. - I answer him when I hear the pain in his voice.   
Kai and Jin are the two people I care about the most. My power works according to my emotions and they both bring the best or the worst from me. The time I came to find a starving Jin asking for forgiveness, I felt so sad for him that the antidote left my system in an instant and my power came back. It didn't help to see Kai's expression that time either.   
I feel nauseous and the tears don't stop coming because I miss Kai with every part of my being.   
Today is the sixteenth day. Jin knocks down the door. It was a stupid thing to do as he could've just open it. I guess he is not thinking clearly these days either. I couldn't stop the werewolves from coming in to check on me after my confinement.   
They didn't listen to my warnings and they paid for it. Junhoe, Chanwoo and Donghyuk came closer enough for my force field to touch them. They screamed when feeling the pain. I wasn't left alone, though.   
The next day they carefully measured up to what point they could come to me, they draw a line to be safe and spend their day with me.  
\- I had no idea you could feel something like that. Prince Baekhyun said he felt electrocution but I was just in pain. - Chanwoo says.   
\- I don't want to ever feel something similar again. I'm going to have nightmares about it for the rest of my life. - Donghyuk adds.  
\- I think it differs with each person. I felt as if all the bones of my body were breaking at the same time. - Junhoe says to Chanwoo.   
\- Is that how your power works, Jisoo? Is it different with each person? -   
\- Yes. - I answer to Jinhwan. I can't say I don't like their company. They do make me feel a bit better.  
They are all here sitting on the floor by my bed opposite to where I am, the only one missing is Jin, who doesn't want to spend much time around them and their blood.   
\- What else can you feel? - Bobby curiously asks me. They're eating popcorn and I'm the show they're watching, apparently.   
\- Electrocution, broken bones, burning, drowning/suffocation, lose of energy, explotions, extreme cold, open wounds and the most common thing, pain. What Chanwoo, Donhyuk and Rosé felt, indescribable pain. -   
I only talk about the things I've heard people said. Maybe there is more, I don't know.   
\- How can you feel you're drowning? - Hanbin asks.  
\- You feel water around you, in your throat, in everything. As if you're drowning. -   
\- That must be the worst. - Rosé says in shock.   
\- It's impressive that your power can do all that. And you can also absorb other powers. -  
Yunhyeong's comment reminds me of Minhyuk's power, which I don't have with me anymore. Usually, the powers I can absorb stay in me for a few days, although, I wanted to try to keep it longer because it seemed useful. However, my body and mind didn't let me do it.   
\- Yes, it is true... - Soo Yeon suddenly says. - But, to me is more impressive that Kai can't feel anything at all. -  
\- Speaking of the prince... - Donghyuk stops talking when he can't control his laughter. Yunhyeong and Chanwoo are laughing as well.  
\- I told you to shut up. It's none of our business. - Hanbin tries to scold them but he smiles instead.   
\- What do you find so funny? - I'm curious to know why they're giggling like that. Among wary glances, Bobby speaks up.   
\- It's just that... your bed has the prince's scent on it, one of the pillows in particular. -   
Rosé is the only one that looks surprised, she doesn't have the sense of smell she used to have. On the contrary, for the others it's easy to know that Kai spent his last night here.   
Far from feeling ashamed, I just feel sad for not being able to perceive his scent like the werewolves do.   
My whole body hurts when I think about Kai, and it leads to one thing:  
\- You're going to have to make another line, the glow already exceeded the other one. -   


 

**\- Kai -**

We're close from home. It wasn't difficult to get here coming from Kris' lands. In fact, it made it easier. But as we enter Suho's lands, we have to be more aware. We contemplated visiting one of our old homes, eventually choosing to go to the vampire's house as soon as possible. On the other hand, Hae Ra turned out to be not as bothersome as I originally thought she would be. She's more quiet than Jisoo but, when she speaks, she says the most unexpected things. Like she's doing it now.   
\- What do you mean you came with me because you want to die? - Suho says in exasperation, while we're eating under a tree where we setup a camp.  
It's early in the morning and we're getting ready to continue our trip.   
\- My visions are always right. If I have seen my death, then it means it's going to happen. I accept my future. -   
\- You didn't see your death. You were just hurt. -  
\- I'm bleeding out in your arms while you're crying and calling out my name. I'm going to die. -   
I won't say it isn't entertaining to see them talk like this. She practically ignores the rest of us, but Suho makes her talk more than we could ever do.   
\- I bet she wins this argument. - Baekhyun whispers.   
\- I bet Suho will win this one. - Chanyeol says.   
\- I think he's going to get upset, walk away, and leave her with us like he did yesterday. - Sehun adds to the betting.   
\- I think he's going to laugh it off and hug her, like he did yesterday. - Kyungsoo bets as well.   
\- And I think he's going to ask us to leave so they can be alone. - I say.   
We wait patiently for the results.   
\- You're not going to die in my arms and that's my final word, I don't want to talk about it anymore. -   
\- You can't have a final word with me. You may be a king, but I'm the future evil witch. -   
And with that, Baekhyun wins the bet. Although we lost, we can't stop laughing about it. Suho always shut us up with that but he can't use it with her.  
\- When are we going to meet Jisoo? - Hae Ra asks suddenly.   
I take a deep breath when I hear her say Jisoo's name. I lose all my appetite and stare at her. She never said she knew where we were going or with whom we're meeting.   
\- We'll go to Jisoo but there is no way I would let you communicate with Hye Ri so you can tell her where she is. -   
My tone of voice is firm despite Suho's strong gaze. My good mood disappeared completely. They can feel my discomfort.  
\- My mother won't find Jisoo. Jisoo will find her first. - Hae Ra simply says. Once again, there's no emotion in her. She's not even angry for the way I talked to her.   
Her words make me feel at peace. According to our plan of killing Hye Ri, Jisoo should be the one to find her first.   
We finish our meal in silence. Suho helps Hae Ra to prepare for our journey. She's not blindfolded anymore, we just avoid to look into her eyes, and Suho is wearing her talisman.   
I see her carefully placing a hand above Suho's so she can observe her surroundings, including me.   
\- Why do you have Jisoo's glow on you? - she asks me after a few seconds.   
\- Jisoo's glow? -   
Her question draws the pack's attention, who were ready to leave.  
\- The glow, her force field, you have it on you. It's a blue light around her body. You're glowing like she does. -   
\- What? Can you see it? - Suho asks her.   
\- What in the... What glow? - Chanyeol is confused.   
\- She said the glow of the force field from her power. Maybe that explains why you don't feel anything when you touch her. - Kyungsoo says.  
\- I didn't know Jisoo glows. That's new. - Baekhyun smiles.   
\- Wait, didn't you say she was glowing when she broke the curse? Is it that glow? -   
Sehun is right. Jisoo said her glow was a reflection of her power and it is the same Hae Ra is talking about. But, why do I have it? Is it because of the curse?   
\- Kai, what's wrong? -  
\- Kai, do you understand what she's talking about? -  
\- There is something weird about it, right, Kai? -  
\- I think that's why Kai can touch her, not just because she's his mate. -  
\- Kai... -  
I fall to my knees when I figure it out. Not because I didn't know, but, because I didn't think about it before.   
Why was I so stupid? I knew it. Dammit, I knew it!   
\- I have to go. - I almost choke on my own words.   
\- What are you talking about? We're going to get there tomorrow by noon, why do you have to go now? - Suho sounds desperate, just like Kyungsoo, who says it's dangerous for me to go alone.   
They are not as desperate as I am.   
\- This glow on me it's not about who Jisoo is, it's about who I am. -   
\- But, Kai... -  
\- That is it. She's my mate and she gave me that name. The glow is a physical form of the mark she left on me. -   
The shock expression on their faces is the last thing I see before I transform to run away. I travel kilometers in a short time. I don't have anything on my mind other than going back to Jisoo quickly.   
I can't concentrate. I'm just thinking in the pain she must've felt all this time. I knew it. I knew she marked me, I knew it all along and I still left her behind.   
When you mark your mate, you're supposed to do it after becoming immortal because the mark means you won't be able to be apart form that person without suffering physical pain. However, Jisoo is not immortal and so, she marked me years ago. She claimed me as hers, and if I'm away from her for a long time, she would feel pain.   
I start to feel a sharp pain in my chest because I know what she must be going through. It's all my fault. I never wanted to hurt her like this.   
I keep running restlessly all day. I haven't ran this much since I escaped from that place. In that occasion, I just wanted to run away from what Jisoo did to me. Today, I just want to get to her.   
A thunderstorm approaches when I'm about to reach home. I won't stop running. I haven't eaten or drink water all day. I don't care.  
I finally get there soaking wet and way too tired that I fall to the ground when I shift. It's past midnight, they're probably sleeping. However, Jin vanishes in front of me out of nowhere. He looks shocked and then gives me something to cover myself.   
\- Is Jisoo in her bedroom? - I can barely speak. My mouth is dry.   
\- She's in the backyard. In the dark. -   
\- What? -  
The vampire holds me when I'm about to fall again.   
\- She's there because she can't come closer to anyone. Her power has expanded ten meters, and it's all your fault! - he shows me his fangs when he says the last part but I don't mind. I just want to go to where she is.   
I walk slowly and carefully to the indicated place. I quickly spot her when I open the back door. She's sitting under a tree in the farthest part of the house. She's under the rain, her hair and clothes are all wet but her scent is intact. Jasmin.   
My body feels a lot better with every step taking me closer. I can see she's looking at me with teary eyes and biting her lips to stop from crying. Now my heart hurts to see her like this. I bend over to be at her height.   
\- I'm sorry for not coming sooner. -   
I mentally kick myself for not being able to say something else.   
\- Why did it take you so long? Take a look at what you've done to me! -   
\- I know. It's my fault. But, do you know what is happening to you? -   
\- Of course I do! I told you I read about it. It's because I'm your mate... and I marked you... although you didn't want to tell me. - she's crying by now but her voice sounds angry.   
I put my arms around her. The pack was right, I should've told her she was my mate weeks ago, and since she knows about what it means, she could've stopped me from going away. I was supposed to know and yet I didn't do anything making her suffer unnecessarily.   
\- You make my demons disappear. - she softly says. I just keep holding her for a long time.   
When I break away, I place my hands on her face to look into her blue eyes.   
\- You're my mate, Jisoo. You named me and marked me as yours a long time ago. Do you know what that means? - she nods her head smiling at me.   
\- Say it! - she still asks me.  
I go even closer to her, my lips brushing hers.   
\- It means you have to stay with me forever. -   
And then I kiss her.


	18. Back Again.

**\- Jisoo. -**

I wake up after sleeping peacefully for the first time in weeks. And I know what's the reason. I turn to the black wolf sleeping under the tree. I don't know at what time he shifted because the last thing I remember is kissing him in the rain. It began as a soft kiss that eventually became more passionate and demanding. Along came the touching, moaning and later... nothing. It's all black. Did I... fall asleep?  
I probably did since I couldn't sleep or eat properly these last few days, so I must've fallen asleep once my mind and heart felt at peace. I smile when I remember the moment Kai walked out of the door. The force field became smaller the more he came near me. I thought he would pass through it but the glow just reduced its size with every step he made giving me the confirmation of what was going on with me.   
I stay awhile just watching him. I don't want to wake him up or leave him alone but my clothes are dirty just like my hair. I don't want him to see me like this so I get up to go to my bedroom and take a shower.   
Standing by the door, I see Jin looking at me. It's still raining so he can be there without the sun burning him. He smiles at me.   
\- Can you come inside now? -   
I raise my arms trying to say that my glow is back to its place. Jin gives me space to walk in and when I do it, I feel something strange. There's an energy in the air that feels familiar and different at the same time.   
\- Do you feel the energy? - Jin asks me.  
\- What is it? -   
\- The witch. Hae Ra. -  
I frown at his answer. Hae Ra has always had a strange energy in her body because she takes parts of the energy of other witches when she takes their memories. But it's something more this time.   
\- Is she here? When did they get here? - I ask when he nods his head at the first question.   
\- About two hours after Kai did. They said they were following him but could never catch up to him. They all went to rest when I told them to not disturb you. I tried to check on you guys earlier and I really wish I didn't. -  
I blush. I know what he's talking about. This wasn't like the time I interrupted the kiss he almost had with Soo Yeon because Kai and I were doing more than just kissing. It was dark but Jin's vision is as good as Kai's. Because they are hunters.   
\- Are they all okay?... Was there a problem with something?... Did Hye Ri or some hybrids follow them? ... -   
I stop babbling when Jin laughs at me.   
\- Just go take a shower and stop embarrassing us both. -   
I listen to his advice and hurry up to my bedroom. When I enter the shower I take my time to clean myself from head to toe. I feel my skin cold for being out in the rain for so long but I don't feel bad or anything. Our immune system it's better than the humans and it could take us more time to get sick.   
I walk out of the bathroom wrapping in a towel and I quickly try to cover myself when I see Kai sitting on my bed. He smiles because of my reaction. I never feel ashamed in front of him, at least not for something like this, but this was like a reflex. I stay frozen when he takes off the coat he's wearing. I wait impatient for his next movement, believing he wants to finish what we started yesterday.   
But he just passes me by smirking, and then I hear the water running after he enters the shower without closing the door. I let out a disappointed sigh and I start getting dressed, noting the clothes on my bed where he was sitting on. It's his clothes. That's when I see Kai coming out of the bathroom completely naked and with no worries.   
He doesn't pay me attention and just takes a towel to dry his hair. Is this what being his mate means? That he doesn't care about his privacy or mine?   
\- I woke up right after you did but you didn't wait for me. And then the vampire delayed me down stairs. I think he's angry with me for what happened these days. - he says, finally getting dressed after minutes of just drying and playing with his hair.   
Was he doing it for me to see him?  
Well, I did.   
While he was taking his sweet time putting on his clothes, I took mine checking him out. There's not one scar on him after all those battles and fights. His skin is intact. There are no traces of the wounds he suffered from Hyun Woo's werewolves. The wounds that made me believe he was dead. It's as if it never happened.   
\- He's angry because he saw what we were doing last night. - I answer him, trying to erase the memory I hate the most.   
\- Do you mean he saw what we couldn't do because you fell asleep in my arms? - He's in front of my bed with his back turn to me.   
\- I'm sorry. I was tired and ... -  
\- It's okay. It wasn't the best place to do it, anyway. - he smiles at me.   
I smile at his carefree way of talking about last night. I knew he wouldn't be upset about it but I'm still happy he says it aloud.   
\- Jin said they all back now with Hae Ra. Did you have troubles with something? -   
\- Just a few encounters with some hybrids. We never saw Hye Ri or her closest allies. -   
I stay quiet for a moment. In the time I had the strenght to have more rational thoughts, I reached the conclusion that it's almost impossible for Hae Ra to bewitch. However, there's still the possibility and if they weren't careful, they coud've fallen under a spell.   
\- Is there something strange about Hae Ra? I mean, I know that you wouldn't know since you don't remember her but I feel something strange about her energy. -   
\- Suho marked her if that's what you're talking about. - he turns to me. - I don't know if it was a smart move or not, but he did it. And I don't know what he's going to do about the fact that both of them need to leave an heir to their respective species but, he left his scent on her so every werewolf can know that she's officially a queen. -   
I can't help but to laugh at the last part. Who would've known? Hye Ri got rid of the royal title because she didn't like anything about the royalty thing and now her daughter is a queen.   
What are you laughing at? Kai is a prince and you're his mate.   
My smile fades. It's true. Kai is a prince and it means that I...   
Kai grins seeing my expression. I can swear he knows what I'm thinking. He then looks at my lips and I become more self-conscious.   
\- If they do have children they will most likely be witches and not werewolves. - I answer him, although, I think they already know and it's why they were so worried about it in the first place.   
Kai doesn't say anything for a moment and just stares at me until he finally he speaks.   
\- Aren't you curious to know when I'm going to mark you? -   
\- So you can feel what I felt when we were apart? You're better off like this. -  
From the blurriness of last night, I have the memory of him telling me about my glow being on him, according to Hae Ra. It made me feel proud to know that in other worlds, witches would know Kai belongs to me, even if they can only see it in his human form. But I still don't want him to mark me just yet.   
I start to walk away after seeing his expression for what I said. It doesn't bother me he knows that I'd rather be the one to suffer again and again instead of him. Kai already suffered enough because of me.   
I don't reach the door when he has stopped me and turned me over. His face lost the cheerfulness it had before. I know he has something to say to me.   
\- Did you manage to control the power of the talisman? -   
I shake my head before I answer.   
\- I need you for it, or at least, I need an immortal warrior. -   
He nods and turns his head to the other side. He's quiet and I'm starting to feel worried for what he wants to say.   
\- I also wanted to come back because I have a matter to discuss with you. I thought about it before I left but I wasn't truly convinced until I spoke with someone. -   
\- What is it? - I bite my lips.  
\- I want you to help me regain control of myself when I fight. You're the first person I've recognized in that state, for whatever reason, so I would like you to help me get cured. And I will help you with the talisman. -  
\- A trade. An exchange of services. That's fine by me. - I softly say. I felt better when I heard his petition but his unchanging somber expression makes me nervous again. - Is there something else? -   
\- It's not so simple, Jisoo. I can recognize you but there's still the chance of things going wrong. The pack says that once I set my eyes on someone, I don't stop the fight until I know I've defeated them. -  
\- I know, I've seen it. -  
\- You also know your power doesn't do anything to me and If I attack you I won't feel pain... -  
\- You would be suffering more if you attack me. Did you forget it? I'm your mate and you'd be in great pain if you hurt me. -   
\- I didn't forget it. In fact, I remember exactly how dizzy I felt just because you were scared of me when we first met, but I don't care what happens to me. I just don't want to hurt you. - he answers me, almost saying back the same words I said a moment ago.   
I stay silent when I finally understand what he has said. For how long has he known that I'm his mate?   
\- You're still asking me to do it and you said you want me to, or were you expecting me to say no so you could have an excuse? -   
\- I was expecting you to give it some thought before you say yes just like that. -   
\- There's nothing to think about. - any doubt I could've had flew out of my mind when he mentioned our first encounter. I live haunted by that memory. The root of all of his problems, the day I cursed him.   
\- Fine. We don't have to discuss anything else if that's what you want. - he says for the last time and walking away.   
I don't follow him immediately, I take my time to let things cool off. For him and for me. When I finally go after him, I find him sitting at the table eating breakfast with his pack minus Suho. Kai makes way for me to sit beside him and shares his food with me. His pack smile and wave at me while eating. They look well but still tired. And hungry.   
I smile when I see that they're eating what Jin cooked. I don't think they knew that this is what Jin does in the long hours of the night. He learns new recipes.   
\- Did you tell her? - Baekhyun asks Kai.   
\- There was no need. She already knew. - he says.   
\- What about the other thing? - Kyungsoo questions.   
Kai stays quiet and I know what they're talking about. I speak before he can.   
\- I'm all in. I'm the reason he has the problem so it's fair I help him. -   
They have the opposite reaction. They smile relieved to know I'm willing to do it. It was obvious, since they must've wanted to get him cured.   
\- I know Kai doesn't really like the idea, still knowing he has to do it, but I appreciate your assistance. - Chanyeol says to me.   
\- What is it that you're going to do? - Jin comes to me with curiosity after hearing our conversation.   
This time I'm the one staying quiet. I don't want to be the one explaining what I've gotten myself into, so Chanyeol does it for me.   
\- And you're going to put yourself in danger just like that? - Jin asks me later.   
\- Yes! Somebody who agrees with me. - Kai says.   
\- As I said: I'm the reason so I should be the solution. -   
\- But you could get hurt. Actually, there are a lot of things that could go wrong, did you even think this through? -   
Jin proceeds to give a speech about my safety and how I should be thinking in me first. He talks about the times he has put himself at risk for me, not because he regrets it, but because he wants to me to be more cautious.   
The warriors are staring at us carefully, and I think they're understanding completely what's the realationship between us. Jin is my older brother, an uncle, a father-figure and my friend.   
\- I'll help. - Sehun suddenly says. - I will be there everytime and I will intervene if Kai tries to attack Jisoo. -   
\- That's a good idea. -  
\- Yes, it is. Maybe we should all be present. -  
\- Yes, we should. -  
With the help the warrios are offering, Jin stays silent and goes back to where he was. Kai, on the other hand, doesn't look too convinced just yet. Sehun sees it as well.   
\- Jisoo is part of the pack now, Kai. We have to protect her just like any of us. -   
With that last comment, Kai just has to agree. One less problem.   
We finish eating and after I get up, I feel the air changing. I feel the tension coming from everyone, including Jin. I turn to the sound of footsteps, seeing Suho coming with Hae Ra behind him.   
I imagined It would be shocking to see Hae Ra again, but it doesn't feel like that at all. She used to look just like Hye Ri in the past but that resemblance has faded with time. In fact, there's something different about her, other than her tainted energy from Suho's mark, it's more like... Did she always look this fragile?  
Suho gives me his kind and caring smile, the one he always has and that I give back, which distracts me from Hae Ra approaching me as if she could see me.   
\- Kim Jisoo. - she says.   
\- Yoon Hae Ra. - I answer back.  
\- So you speak again. You spent a lot of time without saying a word to us that we thought you lost the ability to do it. -  
\- I didn't speak with any of you because I don't like you. -   
I hear them holding their breath, understandig the tension came from me meeting Hae Ra face to face. Suho sees me with a little bit of sorrow for what I said but I don't mind. He should know by now that no matter what you say to her, Hae Ra doesn't feel anything. Nor pain or joy.   
\- How far is Hye Ri with the experiments? -   
\- She doesn't have the results she wants. Yet. -  
\- What does she want from me? Why is she looking for me? -  
\- I don't know. -   
Jin scoffs behind me after hearing her answer but I know it's true. For Hae Ra, there's no difference if her words hurt someone or not, so she never watches what she says. To put it simply, she always says the truth. This is all I have to talk to her about.   
\- We should get started if you're ready. - I say to Kai, leaving Hae Ra behind.   
\- Now? - Kai, Jin and Sehun ask at the same time.   
\- The sooner the better. But if you want to start with the talisman it's fine. - I finish saying when I see Kai's expression.   
\- Let's go, then. -

*******

\- It doesn't seem to be working. - Kai lets out a heavy breath. We've spent hours trying to make him feel the talisman's energy.   
\- It seemed so easy before. - I sound tired, too.   
Our plan consists of doing a practice process of breaking a curse. Kai wears my talisman while I look at him directly in the eyes, trying to concentrate my energy there to create a connection but, it isn't working.   
\- Do you think you need to make a curse or break one for it to work? - Jin asks.   
We're in the open but since it's still cloudy, Jin can be here with us. Kyungsoo, Rosé, Sehun and Soo Yeon are here as well. On the other side, Suho, Baekhyun and Chanyeol are checking how advanced the young werewolves are in their training. Hae Ra is just standing there like a statue. Hanbin and his pack were formally introduced to their new queen. It was an event I've only read about it and I never imagined I could actually see it.  
For a second, Jin's question about making a curse makes me uncomfortable, considering Kai is just right here, but he just looks back at me waiting to know if that's what I need.   
\- I should've asked Mi Joo more about it. - I change the subject.   
\- Is that witch really helpful to you? - Soo Yeon asks me.   
Only Jin and I notice the tone the princess uses to refer Mi Joo. Jin smirks and I nod sliently.   
\- Will she want to help after what happened? - Kai is now the one asking.   
\- She will if Jin asks her to do it. -   
\- Then I'll go get her. - Jin steals one last glance at Soo Yeon before he vanishes.  
\- Maybe somebody else should try it. - Rosé says.   
\- Yes, maybe it doesn't work because Kai is immune to your power. - Kyungsoo agrees with Rosé for once.   
\- I've felt the energy before, it's just not working right now. - Kai replies.   
\- It's because I'm not doing anything that requieres energy. - I bite my lips while I stare at Kai.   
\- Not yet. - he says when he understands what I mean.   
\- When if not today? They are all here and they will stop you if something goes wrong. -   
\- I told you I'll help. I won't let you hurt her. - Sehun says.   
Kyungsoo joins again in the help and soon everybody else is ready to start. They begin making plans to do it.   
\- I'm going to start fighting Kai when he shifts while the others wait their turn to intervene if in need. - Suho says. - I want the mortals to go into the house and stay there safe and sound. -   
Everyone agrees on his statement, Kai does it reluctantly and asks me one last time if I'm sure abou it. I just kiss him to shut him up.   
\- Why do you have to do it, Junmyeon? - a female voice asks. A voice not coming from Soo Yeon.   
I have to look twice at Hae Ra when I realize she's the one asking. If I'd think Hae Ra has a heart, I'd say she worries for Suho for real, however, her expressionless face tells me she hasn't changed.   
\- Because I'm the king. - Suho says with a smile she can't see.   
Shortly after, the other werewolves and Hae Ra go into the house like Suho said, hurrying to the balcony on the second floor to be able to watch. The warriors shift in an instant, getting ready to what's about to happen. Kai is the last one and he looks at me before he closes his eyes.   
Nothing happens just yet. I'm just waiting for the king to start attacking Kai, but Suho growls at me instead. And it has the result he wanted. Kai growls at him for his hostility towards me. Suho takes steps in my direction, irritating Kai even more. The fight begins.   
It takes a few minutes to see the crazed and unfocused eyes on the black wolf. It's the third time I see him like this but it still gets me. Kai's only attacking Suho while the others are watching and I know it's my time to get in.   
\- Kai! - I shout. There's no answer. - Kai, stop it! Stop fighting! -   
He was right, it's not so simple. He's not listening to me nor he's aware of my presence.   
\- You have won, stop fighting! - I shout again and this time he looks at me for a moment before he turns to Suho once more.   
I walk closer with the pack's eyes on me the whole time. I get close enough to his line of sight. I hate myself for what I'm about to do. And then I smile.   
I laugh wickedly in the same way Hye Ri and the other witches did. I get all his attention moments later. He stares at me intensely with the light blue eyes all the werewolves have. His are still maddened.   
Kai leaves Suho alone and walks to me. I see Sehun rushing to us because they can feel Kai's about to attack me. I stay still, raising my hand.   
\- Stop. -   
He does it. I see his eyes shaking as if he's having a struggle with himself.   
\- You have to do everything I tell you to do. - he growls at my words. I know there's a part of him that recognizes me, but I don't know if he remembers me as I was before or if he understands what we are now.   
I have to take the chance.   
\- Come here. - I say one last time and he slowly comes but, something changes. The struggle he had in his mind it's over and the reinless wolf wins.   
Kai launches himself to me. I don't have the time to run but Sehun and the others come in between us. Some are trying to stop him while Sehun and the wounded king stand in front of me. However, Kai knows how to trick them and with one movement he escapes from all of them. A bite on my left arm it's the only thing I feel when I scream.   
But the physical pain it's nothing compared to the pain of seeing Kai falling to the ground. He changes to his human form before going back to the animal and rolls while growling in pain shifting between man and wolf, finally losing consciousness in his human form. His pack go to him trying to help him but there's nothing they can do about it. The young werewolves and the new witch that were watching want to help as well.   
My heart breaks seeing Kai's suffering and not even my blood on his mouth can stop me from thinking that I've hurt him. I don't notice the tears in my eyes or that my glow is getting wider again. It's the glow from the talisman Kai's still wearing that brings me back to reality.   
\- Get away from her! -   
It's not me who says it because I can't even talk. Unfortunately, it's too late. My force field expands hitting everyone near and instantly knocking them unconscious. There is only silence. I take a few steps back when I see everybody surrounded by my blue glow because I know I'm still hurting them.   
In the middle of it all, I see Kai rising up slowly. He looks at his hands and arms but I don't know if he's still in a frenzy state, so I just wait for him.  
He turns to me and our eyes meet. I let out a relieved sigh and the glow goes back to its place, just like it did yesterday. He then sees the wound on my arm and touches his mouth with his hand where he finds the traces of my blood there.   
\- I hurt you. - he says with a silent voice.   
I don't answer him. I just turn to the place where Jin appears bringing Mi Joo with him. They gasp when they see the unmoving bodies on the ground. Kai follows my sight and discovers the terrible scene. He goes to them trying to help but he doesn't dare to even touch them not knowing what actually happened until he finally sees the talisman glowing. I can know the exact moment he realizes everything and his eyes go dark when looks back at me. When he looks at the witch who defeated the warriors. 


	19. Runaway.

**\- Jisoo. -**

_He's gone. Kai is gone and it was all my fault. He's dead and I don't want to live anymore. I feel like I'm about to choke from the lump in my throat and the nauseous in my stomach. But I don't even have tears to shed anymore._  
 _\- What you did days ago with your force field was impressive. I'm proud of you. - Hye Ri says with her cold voice._  
 _She's a liar. Does she think I didn't see the fear in her eyes? Does she think I didn't realize how scared she is of me?_  
 _\- Your mother was like that before your father interfered in our lives. Strong and powerful. She was the sister I loved the most, so similar to me. And she didn't go back to her old self not even after Yoo Hyuk died. Because she had you. However, Jisoo, you have great potential and you're still on time to not make the same mistakes she made now that your weakness it's gone forever. -_  
 _My inside is burning in pain from listening to her. I want her to leave, I can't take this any longer. I want her to leave me alone._  
 _\- Tell me, didn't you feel a revitalizing energy when your force field expanded and you saw how easy it is to hurt those who think they can damage you? -_  
 _She's expecting an answer from me this time. She stares at me hoping I say what she wants to hear. I don't say anything. She drops her fake sweet demeanor and burns the entire room. The fire can't hurt me and I just keep looking blankly ahead. It's until she walks away and leaves me with the ashes of what used to be my basement, when I finally allow myself to let the pain sink in and cry my heart out for the loss of the best person I've met._  
Now the tears from a while ago are gone when I feel Kai's hand squeezing mine.   
\- It's done. Sehun was the last one. - Jin says when he appears in the living room.   
The sun it's still hiding behind the clouds, so Jin was able to bring everyone back inside using his ability to vanish and with no need of a weakened Kai to help him.   
\- You should've waited for me. - Mi Joo carelessly says. - It's a bad idea you try to contol the power of the talisman when you can't even control your own. -   
\- This wasn't for not controlling my power. - I answer, squeezing back Kai's hand.   
\- And it was the energy of the talisman what woke me up. - he sides with me.   
\- I told them to get away. - Hae Ra adds. She wasn't hurt because she saw it coming and she saved herself.   
\- Maybe you should've done more than that and say what was going to happen. - Jin replies. He doesn't like when innocent people gets hurt for no reason, and although he's not saying it, I know he also thinks I should've waited.   
Hae Ra stays silent like she didn't hear him. Mi Joo answers in her stead.  
\- I'm surprised you don't know that witches who can see the future will never do anything to change it. Things have to play out the same way they see it. -   
\- But she did give a warning. - Kai speaks.  
\- A warning that didn't change anything. - I tell him. Just like Mi Joo, I know very well how witches with that power work. But I am surprised she actually said something.  
We go back to silence. There's nothing much we can do because we don't know how to wake them up, so all we can do is wait. Mi Joo is the first to talk after a while.   
\- This powerless witch is bleeding... this werewolf is bleeding too... and this one has a bruise on his stomach. -   
We go to the people she pointed out, and we see Rosé's nose bleeding just like Jinhwan's. Donhyuk, like Mi Joo said, has a big bruise on his stomach that wasn't there before. I'm feeling more guilty now, especially when I see Jin hurrying to Soo Yeon's side and seeing she's also bleeding. The smell of the blood turns his eyes red and he stumbles backwards. He vanishes to get away from the temptation.   
\- They were in his human form. They would've been more resistant to your power if they had been like wolves. - Kai says, confirming that the warriors don't have internal injuries like the others.   
\- It's even worse for Rosé because she's just a witch now. - I regretfully say.   
Kai comes back to my side and takes my hand while looking at the bandage on my arm. He looks at me firmly.   
\- I attacked you just like I said and this ended up happening. Do you still want to help me after this? -   
"... how easy it is to hurt... "  
These words repeat in my head while thinking in Kai's question. Hye Ri thought it could be the moment I embraced my inner evil side. It was the opposite. It only made me hate more how much close I am to make a wrong move and hurt the people I care about. I look at Kai with determination.   
\- I'm convinced now more than ever that you have to be cured. -

 

**\- Kai. -**

I look at my hands again and again remembering the rush of adrenaline that ran through my body when the talisman reflected Jisoo's power. It was an energy like nothing I've felt before and I still can't stop thinking about it. If I'd have to describe it, I'd say it was like... a revitalizing energy.   
Is this what Jisoo feels all the time?   
No wonder she's always so confident.   
\- Are you listening to me? - Suho's voice snaps me back to reality.   
\- Huh? -   
\- I said that in the next full moon we're going to take the followers to train instead fo going hunting. It's time we do it, especially after what happened today. Are you in? -   
\- Yes, sure. Hanbin said he, Jinhwan and Yunhyeong already feel like they're about to mature. It must be done. - I answer.   
I kept my eyes on the ground when I spoke and Suho talks to me again to make me pay attention to them.   
\- You know?, when I saw you suffering from hurting Jisoo, I thought you'd be unconscious for at least a week or two. - he says with a curious expression.   
\- And yet he looks better than us. - Sehun adds.   
I turn to their pale faces this time. It took them all the afternoon to wake up and when they did it, they all looked as if they had been in a long battle. They are tired, hurt, and weak. And I have never been better. I was worried when I saw the wound on Jisoo's arm but it turned out to be a superficial wound. I think in some way, I retracted myself before I attacked her.   
I don't remember much about it, I just have some flashes of her voice and that I felt angry at her. But that's understandable. I also remember how I felt after biting her and how much it affected me. I was wearing her talisman and I received her energy through it and it basically made me come back to life. I would've been like Suho said otherwise.   
\- Is it bad that I don't want to get involved in this anymore? - Baekhyun says, resting on the couch of the library where we're at.   
\- I'm still willing to do it as long as the others are somewhere safer. - Kyungsoo says.   
\- By the others you mean Soo Yeon and Rosé, right? - Chanyeol teases him.   
\- The others, the rest, everyone else. - he answers.   
And we go back to the reason why the followers need a more extreme training. They are resting right now, but they wouldn't have been that hurt if they were immortals. Soo Yeon and Rosé are also sleeping while Jisoo's talking with Jin and Mi Joo. Suho didn't like the idea of Mi Joo being around Hae Ra, since she's in a clan that wants the queen dead. But he can't say anything if the owner of the house brings a guest.   
\- I'm still on it, like Kyungsoo. - Suho says.   
Sehun just nods his head without a word. Chanyeol hesitates a little bit before he agrees.   
\- I just don't get why the Gods paired these two up. One loses all control when he fights and the other is a bomb ready to explode the less you expect it. Or maybe, I can ask the Gods myself because if I get electrocuted once more, I'm going to give up my immortality.- Baekhyun proclaims.   
I don't get hurt by his words and I just smile. It's a smile I have to hide from them because I don't know how to explain how much I like that what makes Jisoo so dangerous to them, it's what can revive me. Because I'm special to her.   
\- Well, at least we know for sure now that Jisoo does have feelings for Kai. -   
I freeze. My smile slowly fades when I begin to understand what Sehun said.   
\- What? -   
\- Nothing. I didn't say anything. -  
I turn to the rest, who awkwardly avoid my gaze.  
\- Do you guys have doubts about Jisoo's feelings for... -  
I can't even finish the question. I can't say it aloud. I can't say what's been on my mind once or twice as well. They make signals at Suho to make him speak.   
\- It's just that we're wondering, if Jisoo marked you a long time ago, why didn't she... I mean, she must have been in a lot of pain when you separated seven years ago, but she seemed fine. Of course, it's been seven years since then. -  
\- But the thing is that we don't know what she went through during that time, have we asked her? Have you asked her? - Kyungsoo points to me.  
No, I haven't.   
I don't have the courage to do it. I don't have the courage to ask her why didn't she look for me, if she was suffering from being apart. It's true, according to what she said, she didn't know she marked me then because she didn't know a name could be a mark until I told her. But, wasn't she curious at least?   
You were in that place almost a year without her even coming to see you, why did you expect she went to you later?   
Remember she was only looking for her talisman when you found her. It was the only thing important to her.  
\- The answer is simple, though. It's like the time Kai planned on killing her, while still having the doubt of her being his mate, because he thought he didn't feel anything for her. Although, I must add, I did know and tried to warn him because it was obvious he did have feelings for her. And so, Jisoo is emotionally involved now, but she wasn't before. -  
As if I didn't have enough, Chanyeol just crushed me completely with his words. It's, like he said, very simple. Jisoo didn't care for me back then. And I even have the proof of it: she abandoned me and left me with Hyun Woo.   
I get up without a word and just walk out of the door. I can hear them calling me and blaming one another when I don't answer back. I just have to get out of there.   
I walk without looking where I'm going but I know I'm not going back to Jisoo's bedroom where we promised to meet. I go to the place where I can be alone, instead.   
I open the door letting the light get into the room that it's always empty and in dark. I don't turn on the lights and I just go to sit on the same place I always do. I look at the painting on the wall, whose eyes seem to look back at me. I wait patiently for it to start talking to me, I wait for the thoughts that come to me when I'm here. I want the peace and security it gave me when the first doubt appeared. Nothing happens this time.

 

**\- Jisoo. -**

Did I do something to upset him? Did something happen that I'm not aware of?   
I'm looking at Kai, while he talks with Sehun and laughs about I don't know what, because I'm not paying attention. He carelessly puts his hand on my knee like he does other times, like it's the most normal thing. And it is. He talks to me like always, he hugs me and kisses me, he smiles at me but, there's something different I can't explain. It could be the way he looks at me when he thinks I'm not looking, or just the way he loses himself in his thoughts. Or maybe, the way he avoids staying alone with me.   
\- Why is taking him so long? We should get going. - Chanyeol keeps looking at the clock.   
The werewolves are all set to go out tonight in the full moon and train the followers, who are already waiting by the door. Apparently, the training in the full moon is different, and Kai can participate in it, which made Hanbin's pack excited for having the prince of their hometown training them for the first time.   
\- Yes, I don't understand either why Suho is not coming down. He's been up there in his bedroom for hours with the queen and... I just got the picture of what they could be doing and now I want it out of my head. - Baekhyun closes his eyes.   
\- I'd rather we'd go hunting tonight. It's been a while since we did it. - Kyungsoo adds. Sehun agrees with him.   
\- That's what I said yesterday, but I guess we have to do this. -   
While they're all having a conversation, Kai goes back to being silent and lost in his own world, and that makes me stay even more quiet than what I already was. I notice the stares of the pack, they seem to feel sorry for me. Whatever is happening with Kai, they know exactly what it is.   
We hear footsteps coming from the stairs suggesting that Suho is finally here. Hae Ra is with him and she's wearing casual clothes. My clothes.   
\- There was a small change of plans. Hae Ra is coming with us. -  
\- What? - They speak up at the same time.   
\- She wants to go and I can't say no to her. - he smiles proudly.   
The sounds of disappointment and annoyance are mildly heard because they can't show their frustration to the king and queen. This gives me an idea.   
\- Can I come, too? - Kai turns immediately to me and I feel this is the first time we met eyes in these past two days. I painfully can tell that he's thinking in an excuse.   
\- You say you do races and search for traces and other stuff, I would like to see what's like. - I quickly say, hoping he won't decline me.   
You can cut the tension with a knife. I think they're expecting he'd say no, but Kai looks down for a moment before he smiles like nothing happens.   
\- You are welcome to come if you want to. - he says to me.  
But when we say goodbye to Rosé, Jin and Mi Joo, who are staying in the house, when Kai takes my hand to take the road, I can feel the weight on his shoulders. I can feel the burden I'm going to be tonight for him. 

*******

We walk silently in the woods in this night illuminated by the full moon. It took us an hour to get here and the constant sighs coming from Kai, didn't let me pay attention to where we were going. I don't see when we go through the gate of another world leaving the humans world behind. I don't hear the cheers from the werewolves or when they transform to begin the training.   
I don't notice when Suho takes Hea Ra and me to a safe place where we can watch. Since he's not taking part in this, Hae Ra can see everything using his eyes. But I don't pay attention to that either. Time passes, the full moon shines its best light and the training is getting harder. The races, the search for traces, the quickest transformation, and other tasks were fun to see but I couldn't even laugh.   
It comes the time when they have to fight and Kai walks away, knowing this is as far as he can participate. He shifts back and sits beside me.   
\- What do you think? It's fun, isn't it? But the hardest part hasn't even started yet. -   
He's tired and he's even sweating. He smiles at me but I still sense his discomfort. I think it's time to know.   
\- What is wrong with you? Did I do something to you? Why are you acting like this? -   
His eyes go dark when he looks at me. He turns to Suho and Hae Ra, who can hear everything.   
\- Nothing's wrong. I don't know what you're talking about. - his words along with his stare make me boil with rage. I can't take this any longer.   
I get up and walk away. I'm walking to the opposite side from where we got here, trying to have more space between us. I don't get far when I hear his voice behind me.   
\- If you're trying to walk away from me, I have to tell you that I can smell your scent and therefore, I will always know where you are. -   
\- You didn't want me to come here, did you? - I ask, ignoring his other comment.   
He stays quiet for a second and then he nods his head.   
\- You're right. I didn't want you to come here. I wanted to be away from you tonight and have some time to think about. -   
\- What do you have to think about? -   
He goes back to silence and I just get angrier. Right now, I'm regretting the fact that my power can't hurt him or that I don't have something I can use against him, so I just pick up a rock from the ground and I throw it to him. It bounces on his chest with a thud.   
\- Tell me, what do you have to think about? - there's no answer. I pick up more rocks and I keep throwing them to him with every silence he gives me. - Tell me!... Tell me!... Tell me!... Tell me!... -  
I take a step back when he shifts and growls at me. Right after my reaction, he stumbles and closes his eyes, feeling dizzy for scaring me. Just like the time we first met.   
\- You're a coward. You do that so you don't have to talk to me. -   
I'm still using rocks to hit the black wolf that stares at me. When I hit him in the face, he looks at me with a warning.   
\- Fine. If you know where to find me, come get me. - I turn and start running.   
Now it's me the one wanting to get away to have time to think about, but I know I won't be alone unless I go far. I'm passing by the trees and the scene seems so familiar, it reminds me to the dream I was having the night I met Kai again. Everything it's the same, and it's weird because this is my first time here. I see the front, where Kai was standing but, this time he's right behind me. I hear the sound he makes on the ground when running.   
Kai overtakes me and starts running backwards, while looking at me with almost a smirk on his face. I try to catch up to him but there's no way I can, until he slows down and allows me to do it. He then adjusts his speed and runs by my side, letting me overtake him a few times. Exactly like we did before.   
I laugh for the serenity those memories give me. It was before everything fell apart. Kai lets out a howl, telling me he's laughing, too. That he also remembers.   
The wind blows in my face and the cold of the night is making me feel awake. So alive. When Kai lets me take advantage, I decide to hide behind a tree to play a him a joke. He gets to where I am and stops. He turns to the place I'm hiding. I laugh at him when I run away to hide somewhere else, where he finds me again.   
Following my game, Kai gives me more advantage to take distance and hide well, completely certain he can find me, so I take off my blouse and I leave it under a bush while I run to the opposite side. Lucky or not, I see a small cabin that seems to be abandoned. I hide in there.   
The lights are out and it only has two rooms, which makes it easier to know there's nobody here. I sit on the floor in the dark to wait. After some time and with no clue as to where Kai is, I begin to worry. Maybe he couldn't find me this time and I have no idea where I am.   
I get up and walk to the door. Suddenly, I feel breathing on the back of my neck.  
\- I told you I will always find you. -   
I almost jump back when I hear his whisper. Kai holds me and turns me to face him. I'm having troubles to breath from the shock he gave me. I wasn't expecting him to come in his human form.   
I gulp when I realize what it means. He's naked. There have been a lot of times when he shifts in front of me, even his pack do it, and although they're naked for a moment, I never feel uncomfortable. But this time, I'm only wearing a bra and shorts.   
He stares at my lips and I stare at his. We're about to kiss, we just need to lean in and I know this night it's finally the one I have been waiting. However, Kai steps back.   
\- Why did you leave me alone? -   
What?   
\- Why did you leave me alone? Why did you leave me in Hyun Woo's hands? ... Jisoo, I... I don't care that you cursed me. I don't care that you let them get me in the competitions. And I know you don't want to talk about the curse, but I don't care about that. I just want to know why did you leave me. -   
His voice is hoarse. I don't know what to answer right now. It took me by surprise that he wants to talk about this now, but his question is more unexpected.   
\- You said a few days ago that you're the reason why I lose control when I fight and you're right, you are. But I don't care about it. I don't care that I can't train my people or that I can't sleep in a enclosed space because of the nightmares. I don't care that the voices are so loud sometimes that is all I can think of. I don't care because that's not what I was chasing when I was trying to find you, when I wanted to be in front of you TO TELL YOU THAT I DON'T FUCKING CARE THAT YOU CURSED ME! -  
He yells at me but I don't mind because I'm crying hearing the pain in his voice and seeing the tears in his eyes. He's not fisnished yet.   
\- That's not what's been eating me inside all these years, it's not what made me hate you with all my guts, and you know why? Because I was in love with you. I've always been in love with you. It's not the curse or the things you made me do what gets to me. It was the fact that after every fight, after killing the werewolves I grew up with, I would've still gone to you. I would've looked for a way to escape and take you with me. I would've fallen asleep listening to your voice no matter what, but you weren't there. You forgot about me, you left me alone. -  
Silence. There's nothing but silence.  
\- You're my mate, Jisoo, and you do make things feel better, I won't deny it. But you know what? I've read about witches, too. And the most evil thing a witch can do is to leave behind those who love them. That's what you did to me. You, a true evil witch. So tell me now if you can, why did you do it? -   
My hands are shaking while I try to find my voice to speak. Feeling his pain hurts me more than my own, but I have to say it. It's not fair to him or to me if I don't. I need to give him an answer. He deserves it. I take a deep breath.   
\- I thought you were dead. - my words get stuck in my throat. Never, not even to Jin, I had the courage to say that aloud. It hurt way too much to even think about it.   
\- What? - Kai tries to understand what I have said. He waits for me to continue.   
\- That time you were seriously injured by Hyun Woo's wolves, it was the first time my force field expanded. I woke up days later and Hye Ri... Hyun Woo... Ma Ri, all of them said that you couldn't get better from your wounds and died. - I choke, barely finishing my words. But I have to go on. - They said they burned your body and that it was nothing left. -   
\- But, that happened almost a year before you escaped and I was still in the competitions all along, you were... -  
\- I wasn't there. I wasn't there, like you said. I was locked up in my bedroom. I was only allowed to go out to break more curses or to be tested for the antidote. I was locked up like a prisoner. But, it was where I wanted to be because I had nothing outside if you weren't there. I didn't speak with anyone because I had nothing to say if it wasn't to you and I had nothing to do if it wasn't with you. I was torn apart because you were gone. -  
Kai stares at me intensely. He's not trying to see if what I said it's true. He's processing the information I gave him. He takes a step closer to me. His eyes are all dried out now. I'm stil crying.   
\- I didn't fight them anymore, I didn't complain about anything, I... was absent. Hye Ri used to laugh with her sisters about how she broke me but, that bitch never had that power in me. And she used to call you my weakness, but she's incapable to even begin to understand how wrong she was because you were... No. You are my strenght. -  
I can't talk any longer because Kai shut me up with a kiss and holds me tight. He kisses my cheeks and eyes, erasing the trail from the tears, and he says my name over and over. I can't think of anything else, other than his kissing and touching. Suddenly, we're not standing up, we're on the floor.   
I pass my hands through his hair and I hear him moaning, while he bites my lips, intensifying the kiss. His hands are all over my body and I realize the noises I hear are coming from me. There are no other sounds, it's just a complete silence.   
There is darkness, only the full moon lets in a dim light. The glow from power allows me to see Kai and I take my time to do it. I enjoy the toasted tone of his skin and the scratches my nails are leaving on him that will soon disappear.   
He puts me on top of him and I bend over to kiss him, while bringing him up with me. He hugs me, and I notice the special way he touches my neck, using his mouth next instead of his hands. He follows the line with his tongue, while I'm melting down. Kai takes my left arm and kisses my wrist, right where the mark of my power is.   
\- I love that you're a witch. - he says with a deep voice. - I love you. -  
I smile with his words, but then I let myself go with the sensation of his lips on my skin. He keeps kissing my arm and reaches the part where the wound from his attack it's almost healed. He bites me again. It's like a sting, and it's so soft that I barely notice it.   
The minutes turn into hours. I don't want this moment to end. I want it to last forever. I want to hold him like this forever. Just us, only us together. Where we're all alone. Where nobody exists but us.   
The thought begins to become reality when I see my force field expanding again. It's a bubble that seperates me from the outside world, that protects me from everything. And that today, it's locking us both inside. 


	20. Tricks.

**\- Kai. -**

\- Come find me, Kai. - says the sweet voice. It comes from afar but the scent is strong.   
My vision is blurry and I can't see her, but I know she's here. She wants me to go look for her, so I do it. I get up from the ground, there's something heavy that was keeping me from moving but I still get up. When I can focus my eyes, I realize it was another wolf. A white wolf.  
He was my opponent, with whom I was fighting until a moment ago, but I don't feel like it anymore, although something inside screams that I have to defeat him.  
\- Kai! - he says. He knows my name. There's something familiar about him that makes me back off. I think I know him.   
\- Kai! It's me, Suho! Do you recognize me? -   
He speaks again and the name he mentions grabs my attention. Is he who I think he is?   
\- Jongin! -  
\- What are you doing, Baekhyun? He doesn't listen to us when we call him Kai, why are you calling him by his other name? -   
\- I don't know. He's like under hypnosis when he's like this, maybe we can make him use his real name again. -  
\- I also think we can try it. Jongin!!! -  
Jasmin. That's all I can think about. The other voices can't distract me, I just want to find her. Is this why she doesn't come to see me? Is she trapped? Does she need my help?   
The horrible thought that she might be in danger makes me lose patience. I try to find where her voice is coming from and I notice this is an unknown place. This isn't the witches' house, there are no cages, there is no wall.   
There are only five wolves in front of the door. They're a barrier and I get ready to go through them. They get ready as well. I can sense they think I'm going to attack them, but I don't want to fight. I start running and it only takes me a second to dodge one of them. He always thinks I'm going to the wrong side and I fool him everytime. I jump out two of them with ease and I knock down the rest by striking one on his chest, his weak point, and push him against the other.   
It's so easy to pass through them because I know all of their tricks. I know their habits. I know them.   
I don't waste more time and go into the house, reaching the stairs that I quickly climb. The scent comes from the third floor and that's where I go.   
A sudden movement on the ceiling makes me look up. I see a bloodsucker there, he's carefully watching me. I tense up and I growl at him. I don't understand why is there an enemy like him in here. Did he come here to harm them? Does she want me to protect her from him?   
Before I can jump to the place he is, he disappears just like that, taking the feeling of danger with him.   
Now, only the inviting scent and the memory of her voice are in my head. I follow the trail to a blue room with an open door. I find her standing there, smiling at me.   
\- I'm here. I found you. -  
I go to her and touch her hand. It's her. The person whose scent is so hypnotizing because it also has my own. And her, Jisoo, is not only the witch that cursed me or my owner. She's my mate.  
I transform in her arms and the first thing I hear is her laughter. She holds me tight and I can feel her happiness.   
\- How did I do this time? - I ask with a tired voice but at the same time enthusiastic like her.   
\- It took you fifteen minutes to find me. It's a great accomplishment considering it took you almost two hours before. -  
After the blessed full moon, Jisoo had the idea of doing a game of hide-and-seek to cure me. She discovered how far I could go just following her scent, and knowing that I can feel if I hurt her while being in that frenzy state, the pack thought it could actually work.   
It was difficult at first, it took me way too long to even hear her voice to the point that I kept leaving Suho unconscious, but little by little, it began to work. Now, I can stop fighting to focus on finding her and I can shift without having to pass out.   
I hold her back, burying my nose in her neck. I marvel once again at the delicious combination of jasmin and cedar wood that comes from her. It's the reason why this is working in the first place, but I haven't told anyone about it.  
And it wasn't the only mark I left on her. I rub my hand against her left arm, caressing with my finger the mark that looks like a tattoo. While the other it's only for me, this is the mark that everybody else see, except for Jisoo, who doesn't have that kind of vision. I smile, remembering how angry Jin was when he saw it. It's well known that vampires find disgusting the marks from werewolves, and witches find it intrusive, according to Mi Joo. Well, not every witch.   
\- It should be like my witch mark. It bothers me that I can't see it. - Jisoo pouts.   
\- But trust me, it is quite visible. - I assure her.   
In fact, it's so visible that the pack thought I had to hurt Jisoo to make it look like that and they were ready to beat me up because of it. However, it was a gentle bite. I have no idea why it looks like the way it does.   
The touching soon becomes more sensual and the kisses start. It's hard for me to control myself after that night, especially when she has the same desire that I have. The desire comes from her lack of physical contact with the rest of the world? Does it come from her discovery that she can start learning to control her power and the talisman's?   
No.  
It comes from her feelings for me. The feelings she always had, just like me.  
\- It's my turn now. - she naughtily says, while she takes her talisman and puts it on me.   
I close the door before we continue. I'm not worried about what the others think, they already know we do this everytime.   
\- It'd be my pleasure. - I answer and I bite my lips.   
I start by undressing her slowly. I gently touch her skin with my fingertips and she lets out a sigh. I have not yet begun and she's moaning already.   
But the energy that comes from her, the one that comes from the talisman and the glow, that electricity it's running through my body and I can know her force field has expanded.   
\- Where are we? Ten? Thirty centimeters? - I tease her. The glow from the talisman can't tell me how long it is.  
She shakes her head before she answers me.   
\- Close to the meter. -   
\- Let's make it two then. -   
I kiss her lips slowly first, then more intense as our breathing increases. My hands are on her neck and when I take one down, a lock from her hair gets tangled in my fingers. I notice the bluish color that appears. The trait of a different hair color happens when a witch has lived more than one hundred years, but I guess that with a power like Jisoo's, her hair color is changing sooner. I mentally smile, thinking about the moment her whole hair will be like this. It would go well with those eyes.   
I breathe deeply when the electricity intensifies just like the pace at which we move. A man's pleasure is linked to the pleasure his partner feels. And with Jisoo I feel it twice. I feel her pleasure when I touch her, the chills that go through her skin, her scent, and the sweet nectar that comes out of her. And then I feel it all again from her talisman. She is a firestorm. I think she really is a bomb. A bomb that explodes at the same time I do.   


**\- Jisoo. -**

How much is that? Twenty centimeters? Thirty?   
I let out a frustrated sigh because I can't make it to fifty. When I'm in the bedroom doing those activities with Kai, it works well. I can make it reach two meters, even three, but when I try to do it here out in the open with everyone watching, my power only expands to a few centimeters.   
\- I am feeling the energy, you are doing it, just a little bit more. -   
Kai encourages me but I can sense his frustration, although his comes from my own. The talisman's glow is very dim and I know the energy he feels is just a tickling.   
\- Why do we have to be here for this? - Baekhyun asks and I lose concentration.   
\- You always ask that, Baekhyun. - Suho replies.   
\- And I never get a proper answer. -   
\- I'm here because there's nothing better to do. - Sehun says.   
\- Me too. And I'm also waiting for Soo Yeon to come back from the humans' carnival. It's getting late. -   
\- Kyungsoo, it's half past four and they just left like an hour ago. -   
\- I'm worried about Soo Yeon. She's been kidnapped the two times she went out to explore the human world. -  
\- Then don't worry so much. Hanbin, Jinhwan, Yunhyeong and Bobby are all immortal now, the rest are trained werewolves and Rosé is pretty smart. I'm sure they're going to be okay. - Baekhyun says.   
\- That's true. Besides, you should've gone with them like Rosé asked you to if you were going to act like this. -   
\- And we are here because we should be. Did you forget what Kai said? If Jisoo manages to control the power of the talisman she can protect us all from Hye Ri's curses and spells. - Chanyeol explains.   
\- Ah! That's right! -   
\- But, why us? If something goes wrong, Jisoo could make us pass out again with her power. -  
The warriors' conversation gets interrupted when they realize I've stopped doing what I was doing thanks to them. Kai has a serious and warning look on his face, and they go back to silence.   
I get ready to start again, when another voice is heard.   
\- Do you want to know why is not working? -   
I can see everyone's shocked faces after Hae Ra speaks, but they're not as shocked as I am. She's always present when I do this but never says anything. I mean, it's not like I want to talk to her either. I try to avoid her as much as I can, although, sometimes I feel like she wants to come closer to me.   
\- Fine. Tell me why is not working. - I say after a few minutes. I'm not so sure what her intentions are.   
\- It's not working because you're not aiming to your maximum level. You're only trying to reach a certain part of your power, I'm guessing to prevent what Baekhyun has said and not hurt anyone. But, what witch has learned to control their power while worrying about harming others?   
\- Hae Ra is right, Jisoo! You have to try to reach your maximum level. - Jin screams from a window in the second floor, where he and Mi Joo are watching and to not be under the sun. This is the longest time he has allowed Mi Joo to stay here and I don't know why.   
\- Yeah, I know the whole story of letting myself go with the feeling of how easy I can hurt others. I'm not interested. That's not what I want. -   
I turn back to Kai but he has moved to stand right behind me. The warriors came closer as well, although they did it with caution to not touch the force field.   
\- What is the maximum level of your power? - Kai firmly asks me.  
His pack stare at me with the same firmness. I think they feel like I've deceived them, which, I almost did. A lie of omission for not telling them what level my power can reach. Suho confirms my suspicion with his words.   
\- We have to know if we are going through with our plan. We have a deal, remember? -  
\- We have to know if we are putting ourselves at risk for this. - Sehun adds.   
\- Putting everyone at risk. - Kyungsoo says.   
\- Tell us quickly, please, Jisoo. - Chanyeol asks me.  
I turn to see Kai and I open my mouth to answer but Baekhyun speaks before me.   
\- It's not like a nuclear bomb, is it? -   
\- The maximum level of a power is when you can manipulate it with your mind completely and use your eyes... to hurt other people. In my case, I could make them feel pain without having to touch me or my force field. To sum up, I could make them suffer if I just look at them. -   
There is total silence after that. I'm sure they are impressed, taking into consideration they have witnessed how painful my force field can be, but all they have to do is avoid touching me to not suffer. To find out now that I could do it with just a gaze, might be surprising.   
\- Really? -  
\- I didn't see that coming. -  
\- That is so... cool! -  
\- Yeah! Why didn't you try to control your power before? -  
\- I'd be asking why does she want to learn to do that instead. -   
I don't say anything to them and I'm just waiting for Kai's response. It was not what I expecting.   
\- What about the other, the absorbing powers one? That thing you do with the lucky charms must be from that power. You can get the part that makes your scent undetectable through your mark. -   
My eyes get bigger by his words. I had no idea he would know so much about it. He proceeds talking.   
\- It's like you're reversing it, similar to what Ma Ri does with her healing power. So, what is the maximum level of that one? -   
\- Mirror. Reflection. It was aunt Woo Ri's power and I saw how it worked in Hye Ri's memories. - Hae Ra answers for me.  
I'm not surprised that she knows about my second power, since she must have seen it in Suho's past considering all the time they spend locked up in their bedroom. I'm sure she has seen every part of his life by now.   
\- Like she said, it's a mirror. Without needing to absorb anything, I could make other witches' powers be used against them. -   
There's more silence but Kai smiles when he hears me. The werewolves stare at one another before they begin to ask more about it. They ask why has taken me so long to try to control it and why I never tried it if I knew it would make me pretty much invincible.   
The truth is that I don't even know it myself. I'm confident of the fact that I am different to my family and that I'm not as evil as they are, but knowing that I could make someone suffer with one look if I wanted to, wouldn't that be too much temptation?   
\- You have to make it reach your maximum level, Jisoo. Both powers. - Kai tells me.   
\- No. I don't want to. -  
I turn around and walk away just like that. I know I left them shocked by my answer, especially Kai, but I go nonetheless.   
\- You won't be able to escape from that for much longer. - Hae Ra says and I ignore her.   
I go into the house at the same moment Jin and Mi Joo come down. Jin looks at me disappointed. I ignore him too and I try to go up to my bedroom, then the warriors come in behind me.   
\- That habit of yours of walking away from me. - Kai says.   
The remorseful feeling I get from letting them down gets to me and I stay still, ready to face their questions but they just pass by me and go to the living room to rest, taking Hae Ra with them.   
If I walk away now, I'd feel like a fool, and if I go to them I'd feel embarrassed, so I end up sitting on a step near where Jin is.   
\- That damn mark is the problem. I bet you could've done it by now if it weren't for that thing. - Mi Joo suddenly says.   
The dismissive tone she uses doesn't go unnoticed by the werewolves and I can almost hear them growl. They don't like Mi Joo. None of them.   
\- Am I not right, Hae Ra? I'm sure your power's affected because of that mark as well. -   
The other witch doesn't say anything and Suho gets angrier. Jin just stays quiet, but I can see his discomfort for what Mi Joo's saying. Once more I wonder why he's let her stay this long, and then I remember Soo Yeon and it all makes sense.   
\- The mark has nothing to do with it. - I get up and go up to Kai to hug him from the back while I glared at Mi Joo. My evil side comes out if it involves Kai. - I marked Kai a long time ago and it didn't affect him at all. -   
\- Actually, I've been thinking that Kai heals faster than us because he's been marked by his mate already. The mark does change something about you. - says Chanyeol, which doesn't help to what we're trying to convey.   
Mi Joo smirks when she hears him and starts talking with more confidence.   
\- Honestly, it bothers me your perspective of wanting to own your partner and mark them. This whole mate thing and being chained to someone for eternity is stupid. -   
\- Wanting to own? That sounds funny coming from someone whose species has been capturing werewolves for years. - Sehun furiously remarks.  
\- And it's not a chain, it's a link that makes the people involved stronger. - Baekhyun adds.   
\- That's enough, let's go! - Jin tries to take her away but she dodges him.   
\- Well, my brother captured werewolves following orders from the family of the two witches you now call "Queen" and "Princess". And I never took part in any of it. -   
I'm about to reply to her, when Kai laughs out loud. It's a cynical laugh.   
\- Maybe you didn't take part in the captures but you did enjoy the competitions with the werewolves. You bet on me on different occasions, too. -   
Mi Joo tenses up for a moment and stares at him. The warriors are also surprised about it since he never mentioned this to them.   
\- Hyun Woo's favorite wolf... That was you? -  
\- That's right. - he smirks but it fades when Hae Ra speaks up.  
\- I knew it! The clues were there: the memories in Junmyeon's life, your attachment to Jisoo and your glow. It was so clear but I needed it a confirmation. - she says.   
Now, every person in the room is surprised.   
She gets up and tries to come to Kai with the intention of touching him to see his life, I get up immediately, which makes Suho take Hae Ra's hand away from the painful contact of my skin.   
\- I had no idea you remember me. I have no recollection of you. - It's the only thing Kai can say.   
\- I don't. It's a picture of your future what I remember to be exact. -   
\- What? What are you talking about? You never got near him enough to touch him and see his future. - I nervously say. I don't like where this is going.   
The air has changed. We're all waiting to hear what Hae Ra has to say about it.   
\- The picture I saw of the hybrid, the perfect mix between a wolf and a witch, it was him. -   
I feel my soul leave my body. Kai holds my hand tighter and we all take a deep breath.   
\- What did you say? -  
\- It can't be. -  
\- You must be lying. -  
\- Kai can't be who you're thinking about. -  
\- It's not possible because none of us will ever let that happen. -   
After the warrirors' replies, Kai can't say a word, neither can I. Mi Joo went back to silence and Jin looks at both, Kai and me, with sorrow.   
\- Say it again. - I finally can speak. - SAY IT AGAIN! -   
\- Calm down, Jisoo, the glow is expanding. - Kai warns me, after feeling the energy emerging from the talisman and I see that he's right.   
I take another breath. Everything goes back to its place.   
\- Say it again. From the start, what did you see and why made you believe it was Kai? -   
\- The night he was badly injured and you fainted after what you did with your power, Hyun Woo and Sun Woo took him from the basement to the cages. When they were passing by me, Sun Woo brushed his arm against mine and I had a joint vision. -   
\- What's a joint vision? - Suho asks her.   
I start to feel nauseous just thinking about it and I can't even pay attention to the answer Mi Joo gives.   
\- It's when there's contact through more than one person and they share a future in common. For a better explanation, Hae Ra touched Sun Woo, who was touching Kai, so she saw a future involving the two of them. -  
\- But, what exactly did you see that involved that moron and me? -   
\- I saw through his eyes a werewolf quite different from the rest. A werewolf with powers and a blue glow. A werewolf with Jisoo's DNA. -   
\- That doesn't prove it was me. - he says with a deep tone.   
\- And the experiments can't give powers. -   
\- It was pretty similar to him and the experiments will give powers because that's how I saw it. And you know everything I see comes true. -   
\- It can't be. - Sehun steps up. - I was taken to the laboratories way before you had the chance to see that, so it can't be Kai. -   
His comment brings to everyone the hope we had lost for a moment, however, Hae Ra just turns to Sehun before she repeats her words. She states Kai will be the hybrid Hye Ri has been trying to create.   
The hope we felt for a brief moment it's gone. Nobody knows what else to say or to do, what Hae Ra has confessed, left us confused and terrified. At least that's how I feel.   
\- That can't... I don't... I can't believe it. - I barely say.   
\- If Hye Ri wanted that wolf away from you, why didn't she kill him for real? why did she only let you believe he was dead? And why has she been keeping Sun Woo with her all this time when he's not useful? It was all because they both had to live. -  
\- But then, why didn't she keep Kai next to her like Sun Woo? Why didn't she make sure that Kai never ran way from that place if she needed him? -   
I try to find any loophole that could turn this into a lie and I notice the others hold onto my words. Not Kai. I can feel he's already convinced it's all true.   
\- You know very well my mother would never keep a wolf around her, she hates them. And she wouldn't bother that much when she knew he was going to reach maturity and most important, that he was going to go back to you. Just like he did. -   
I'm boiling inside listening to her words because what she says makes sense. But then I understand why Hye Ri has been looking for me. They thought the blue glow was from my genes but it was from the mark, and I realize that Hae Ra did know why, however, she tricked me and said she didn't to stop me from changing what she saw. Which leads me to think that by today, Hae Ra knows there's nothing we can do to change the future she has seen.   
\- Jin... go to the museum and check if the weapon is still there. And please, take Mi Joo to underworld and leave her there. -   
\- Understood. -  
\- But I... -  
Mi Joo has no time to say anything after Jin takes her hand and vanishes with her. The warriors can't mutter a word yet, I think this is the first time I don't hear them speak in a long time. I understand them. Kai slowly comes to me.   
\- What do you think about the weapon? Do you think Hye Ri moved it? -   
I look at Hae Ra's lifeless eyes and I clench my hands to not go to her and hurt her. My words are stuck in my throat. The only thing that can keep me calm is Kai and his arms around me.   
\- I need to wait for Jin to come back to be sure. -   
The seconds turns into minutes, and in the middle of our anxiety, Hae Ra sits down without concern whatsoever. Her face remains expressionless while mine struggles to stay dry.   
Jin appears, alone this time, and his eyes tell me what I need to know.   
\- It's gone. - he says. - Apparently, the benefactor who donated it, asked it to be removed. -   
\- And what are we going to do now? -   
\- We should've taken it when we had the chance. -   
\- No. Jisoo was right about it, we couldn't take it or Hye Ri would have come to us when we weren't ready. -   
\- And then, what are we going to do? -   
\- Do you know when it was removed? -   
Suho asks Jin and he shakes his head. The king goes to Hae Ra to ask her more about it. The sweet tone he's still using with her pisses me off, and before I know it or before Kai can stop me, I go to her and place my hand on her left arm. Since I'm furious right now, my power must be more painful, and the scream that comes from her pierces our ears. Kai hugs me and takes me away the moment Suho shifts and growls at me for hurting his mate. The position Kai stays in while he holds me is a sign of submission. He's asking his king to forgive me, and the wolf goes back to Hae Ra to try to lick her wounds.   
\- She deserved it. - I smirk.   
Hae Ra is crying in despair. I know my power makes her see horrific images in her head and blood comes out of her eyes that now look infected. The pack of werewolves stare at me with careful eyes when they see how happy I am after hurting their queen.   
But they don't know what I'm capable of. Yes, I'm sure by now that my evil side comes out if it's about Kai. And not only that, for him, I'm willing to reach my maximum level and get rid of everyone who tries to harm him. Everyone.

 

**\- Sun Woo. -**

\- Dr. Park gave me the weapon. What do you want me to do with it? - I ask Hye Ri.  
I watch her place three talismans on the wall. I'm still not sure why she needs them but I have learned that it's best if I don't ask. I'm still healing from the burn after I asked what happened to Hae Ra.   
\- I told you to take it to Anthony in China. That's the only thing I want you to do. - the witch answers.   
\- I don't like that wolf. He thinks very highly of himself and he's not even a prince anymore. -   
\- I didn't ask for your opinion. I gave you an order. -   
I grit my teeth but I don't say anything back. I'm sick of being treated like a stupid, I wish I could kill her with my own hands. Maybe if I manage to get closer enough, if I could trick her and drink her blood, I'd kill her like that. After all, that's how Jae Ri died. But, I don't have the courage to do it. I admit it, I'm a coward. A greedy coward. As long as she gives me power and status, I'd stay by her side.   
But there is something I can do to upset her.   
\- Tomorrow is the death anniversary of my little brother. -   
She freezes. I know it pains her to talk about that little boy that passed away six years ago. He was Hye Ri's son, the one she had with my father, Hyun Woo. He was different. I remember his mark was more visible than Jisoo's. He could have been more powerful than her.   
Hye Ri doesn't say anything but I see her hands shaking when she touches the talismans. She's wearing hers and stares at the three hanging on the wall. They starting to form a picture.   
\- You have to go now. - she tells me and I do as she says but I make one last question before I go.   
\- What are you going to do? -   
She turns with her evil smile spread across her face.   
\- It's time I stop pretending Ma Ri is not alive and go to her. It's time to go get the fifth talisman. - 


	21. Talismans.

**\- Kai. -**

"The picture I saw of the hybrid, the perfect mix between a wolf and a witch, it was him."  
"... A werewolf with powers and a blue glow. A werewolf with Jisoo's DNA."  
The words repeat over and over in my head while I watch the pack walk from side to side. We have barely spoken after Hae Ra's confession and even though it's after midnight, we don't feel like going to sleep.   
\- We're not going to let it happen, Kai. That evil witch will have to pass through all of us before she gets to you. - Chanyeol claims with false confidence.   
The others agree and I just half smile. This must be a fucking joke. After all I had to suffer to get out of that place, the witch thinks she's going to turn me into a horrible hybrid? And even worse, she even planned to do it with Jisoo's genes?   
OVER MY FUCKING DEAD BODY!  
\- This obviously changes our plan but we are ready, we can do this. - Suho says.   
\- Well, the six of us are ready. Kai is not completely cured but he's better. And even in his worst shape, he always killed hybrids with no trouble. - Sehun adds.  
\- I think the followers are ready, too. They are well trained. We got this. - Kyungsoo replies.   
\- And we're going back to our original plan of killing Hye Ri like we kill hybrids now that the magical thing disappeared? - Baekhyun asks.   
\- It's going to be hard. I still think that weapon was our best choice but if we don't find it then, yes, we are going back to the original plan. -   
We continue to discuss our plans while the hours go by. Past four in the morning, we agree to go rest for a moment.   
\- I think it's better if we don't talk about this to Hanbin and his pack just yet, and specially don't say anything to Soo Yeon. -   
There was no need for me to say it, they probably thought about it, too. I look at Suho and he answers my silent question.   
\- Hae Ra was okay when she fell asleep earlier. I'm sorry I almost attacked Jisoo, I understand why she was so upset. -   
I give him a nod. Of course we all know why Jisoo was upset and why she did what she did to her cousin. After all, she did warn us Hae Ra could be very dangerous. And judging by Hae Ra's expression, or lack of it, after she unleashed a storm within a few minutes, I think she might be a psychopath.   
I go up the stairs and walk to Jisoo's bedroom. I thought I'd find her sleeping but I hear her and Jin's voice instead.   
\- Don't you think they can help you? - she asks.   
\- You know we have a rule to never get close to werewolves and they follow that rule more religiously than I ever did. But maybe I could get Namjoon or Jimin's help. I don't know. -   
\- The benefactor is Dr. Park. I think we need to pay him a visit and find out more about it. -  
\- I agree. He's human and his information will be easier to find. We just need to talk about it with the rest. -   
I open the door and they look at me unsurprised. Jin excuses himself and leaves the room. Jisoo is standing, looking out of the window the darkness of the street.   
I sit on her bed without a word. I don't know what to say, I don't know if I should mention what Hae Ra said and get her even more upset.   
\- We've been discussing the plan and we decided to start looking for Hye Ri by tomorrow. -   
No answer.   
\- We know we can kill her without the weapon, but if you think the human knows something, we can try it. We also agreed we're going to kill Sun Woo as soon as possible. -  
No answer.   
I turn to her and find her silently staring at me.   
\- I want to see it myself. - she finally says.  
\- See what? -   
She takes some steps while reaching with her hand to me.   
\- I absorbed Hae Ra's power. That was my intention. But I did enjoy hurting her. -   
She stands in front of me and bitterly smiles.   
\- May I? -   
I don't know what to answer at first. There are lot of things of my life, things from my past that I don't want her to see. I don't want her to see all the memories I have of the battles and she certainly will see it because that's on my mind all the time. It also scares me that she will see what Hae Ra said, confirming that's the future lying ahead of us. However, I say yes.   
Jisoo puts her hand on my cheek and takes it away after a second in alarm. She takes a deep breath and tries again. She keeps it there longer this time and I see her frown. She finally takes her hand away and she looks a little tired.   
\- What did you see? - I ask and she shakes her head.   
\- Hae Ra has learned to control her power. It's very difficult to understand what you're seeing if someone's whole life goes through your head in an instant. I could only see a few things. -   
\- Like what? -   
\- Like... your parents. -   
I wasn't expecting that.   
\- I saw them with you, when you were little. You were happy with them but they... -  
\- Weren't happy with each other. - I finish for her. It's true. I loved them like any kid would love their parents and they loved me as much as they could.   
\- I saw your home town. The beautiful place where you were supposed to be the prince. The people there... they all loved you. You were their prince Jongin. -   
My heart skips a beat. It's the first time she says my real name. It makes me wish I could be able to respond to that name again because it sounds a million times better coming from her lips.   
\- I saw the day you moved to the King's home to train with the warriors when you were ten. That was the last time you saw your parents. And the day you met Soo Yeon. She made you happy. - she smiles when she says the last part.   
Yes. That was the day my parents left me with Suho's father, the former King. To this day, I don't know what exactly happened with my mother, but my father gave up his immortality and killed himself two years later. Because he never found his mate. While I said goodbye to them, I gave my greetings to a seven year old who came into my life for the first time. None of us had siblings, only Kyungsoo did, and she was so little with big round eyes that I think we all fell for her at first sight.   
\- Anything else? -   
\- I saw... the day you were captured by Hyun Woo. You and Sehun were running away but you took different roads and you got to a dead end... and... I could feel your fear. You were just fifteen, you were terrified because you thought you were going to die, because you knew the witches were going to hurt you and they did, I mean, we did hurt you and now Hye Ri is going to turn you into a hybrid and I... -   
I hold her close to stop her, but even though she's already crying, she keeps talking and repeats that it's all over.   
\- It's going to happen, Kai. Hae Ra is right about it. Everything she sees comes true. -   
\- It's not going to happen, Jisoo, do you hear me? It won't because I won't let it. She wants to capture you too and... -  
\- She wanted me because she thought the glow was from my DNA but it's from the mark! -  
\- And Hae Ra knows that now, not Hye Ri. She still wants to capture you, and I will use any method I can to stop that from happening. I promise. -   
I'm trying to calm her down and she takes a moment to compose herself to talk again.   
\- I am also willing to use anything to stop them from harming you. Even if I have to start with Hae Ra. -   
I hold her closer and take her to the bed, where I lay her down still in my arms. She falls asleep when the sun rises and her words are stuck in my head. If everything Hae Ra sees comes reality, then not only Jisoo and I are in danger, cause there's something else the queen has seen about her own future that will destroy Suho.   
I do believe now that Hae Ra will die like she said she will. And it looks that Jisoo might be the one to kill her. 

*******

My heart is beating fast. My hands are shaking, my mouth is dry, I feel sick to my stomach and I'm barely standing. That's how I feel inside, but on the outside, my face doesn't show it. It has to be like this. For Jisoo and the pack, I have to pretend I'm not nervous.   
Sure. The Queen said I will become a hybrid, that Hye Ri wanted to mix my genes with Jisoo's, probably killing her in the process, but everything will be fine. We can get through this.  
That's what I've been telling myself all day but it's not convincing. How could it be?   
\- It's not surprising the vampire knows a place like this, right? - Chanyeol suddenly says about the location we're in right now. He's trying to make a joke and clear the air, but there is no way we can relax.   
\- It's more than fitting for the scum the humans are. - Sehun says.   
The empty and dirty warehouse where we are waiting for Jin to come is very dark. The typical place humans find frightening. And it is more than fitting to welcome the human. Dr. Park.   
\- Maybe Jin spends time here, you know, he brings humans to drink their blood. -   
\- Jin doesn't drink humans' blood. - Jisoo answers Baekhyun's comment.   
It makes me turn to her since I heard her voice few times this day. Even this answer felt automatic. She's the way I am. She looks collected on the outside but feels different inside.   
\- Either way, I'm glad the human won't be close to Soo Yeon and Rosé... I mean, he won't be close to everyone. -  
\- We all know what you mean, Kyungsoo. I'm also glad Hae Ra won't be present. Besides, she still needs some rest. -   
Suho looks Jisoo's way, who ignores him, before he stays quiet again. I always thought he and Jisoo got along very well ever since she broke his curse, but I guess after what happened last night, it will definitely change.  
\- We agreed the others wouldn't know anything yet. Doing this here was a great idea. - I try to speak without my voice shaking. I smile a little too, but it only makes them look at me with more sorrow and for Jisoo to start getting teary eyed.   
The silence fills the place again and the time passes by. We didn't think Jin would take this long to bring the human considering he just have to use his ability to vanish from one place to another, but we've been waiting for half an hour and it's getting unbearable.   
When I feel like I can't take it any longer, the vampire appears carrying a body that seems lifeless.   
\- Did you do something to him, vampire? - Chanyeol asks. The human is unconscious.   
\- I put him to sleep with the drug you used on Kai before. It was better to bring him like that. - he answers.   
\- Well done. - I say back and I help him sit the human on a chair.   
We don't need to tie him up since he won't be able to escape anyway.   
\- Did someone see you? - Jisoo questions him.   
\- I don't think so. I got him out of his house and he lives alone. Although I did have to wait for the cleaning lady to leave, that's why it took me so long. -   
We use a lamp to see him better and for him to see us clearly when he wakes up. We have good night vision but the light still helps us to study his face more.   
\- What happened to his arm? - Baekhyun curiously asks.   
Humans have any type of diseases and disabilities, but we've never seen something like that before.   
\- It's like this because of me. He was too close to my force field and the muscles and bones of his arm... melted. - Jisoo says.  
We're in shock after hearing her talk. The pack knows how painful her power can be, but we never thought about the consequences it would have on a human.   
\- Is he one of the doctors that did experiments on you, Sehun? - Kyungsoo says.   
Sehun shakes his head and says he's not sure about it. It happened nine years ago and I doubt he spent his time thinking about the faces of the people who did that to him.   
\- How long do we have to wait until he wakes up? -   
\- I injected him a small amount of the drug. He'd wake up anytime soon. -  
And he does. With slow movements, the human opens his eyes. His vision must be blurry and he tries to focus. He looks at the seven men present and his voice is loud and obnoxious when he speaks.   
\- I told your boss that I'd pay the money! I'm a very important doctor. I can earn the amount of money I owe him. - He sounds arrogant.   
\- We don't know any "boss" and we're not looking for money. - Suho says firmly. - We're looking for something more valuable. -  
The human gets a little nervous when he sees we're not who he thought we were.   
\- Then, who the hell are you and what do you want from me? -   
\- We want to know where is the weapon Hye Ri gave you. -   
Jisoo comes from the shadows to stand in front of the human. I've been in a lot of battles, I've fought with a lot of enemies, I have seen misery and pain, but I have never seen an expression of pure terror like the one that appears on the doctor's face when he sees Jisoo.   
He screams in fear and tries to run, but he bumps into me and falls to the ground. The force of the fall makes him realize that we're not like him, that we're different.   
\- Dr. Park, didn't you hear me? - Jisoo says, and the human holds onto my leg and starts... praying?   
\- Get that witch away from me, please! Have mercy on me! GET HER AWAY! - the human is about to cry and I can only stare at him. The others don't find it as strange as I do.   
\- We've been telling you that Jisoo is scary. Do you believe us now? - Baekhyun half smiles.   
No. Jisoo is one of the sweetest person I know. Even her expression now is more of pity than intimidation. She doesn't like how scared the human is of her.   
\- Maybe you should step back for a moment and let us talk to him. - Chanyeol asks Jisoo after the doctor has opted to remain on his knees praying.   
She hesitates. She has Hae Ra's power for now, but she says she can't use it with anybody else since they will only think about the pain of her touch, so I'm the only one she could use it with. Therefore, she steps aside. I then place my hand on the human's shoulder, not very strong but enough to tell him he has no way out.   
\- We know the evil witch gave you a special weapon for you to take it to a museum, but it's no longer there. And we also know the benefactor, meaning you, asked for it to be removed. We just want you to tell us what you did with it. Where is it? Where did you take it to? -  
\- I don't know what you're talking about. -  
\- Of course you do. I can smell the insecurity of the lie you're telling. -   
He gulps and looks at the five people behind me. I hear them growl and he cowers. He turns to Jin, who shows his fangs, and finally he looks at Jisoo.  
\- He's not under a spell. - Jisoo suddenly says.   
\- What? -   
\- There's a strange light in the pupil of the humans' eyes when they're under spells and he doesn't have it anymore. - she explains.   
\- That's right, I don't! These years of loyalty paid off. Milady has let me off from her spell. But it seems that you are the enchantress now. You have these beasts and a bloodsucker working for you. -   
I squeeze his shoulder slightly and I hear a crack. If I squeeze harder, I could break his bones.   
\- You shouldn't speak like that when you're in this place. I've killed hybrids and witches, how long do you think it would take me to kill a simple human being? Or maybe, Jisoo just have to lay her little finger on you... -  
\- No!...no...no. Please, anything but that! -   
\- Then start talking. We don't have enough patience... with you. - Kyungsoo replies.   
Our warnings seem to work, unsurprisingly, he's a human in disadvantage and his survival instinct kicks in. It doesn't matter how loyal he is to his "lady", he will talk.   
\- Fine. Years ago, the weapon was given to me in order for it to be taken to a museum. It was just there all this time, but, a few days ago Milady asked me to get it out of there. -   
\- Why? -   
\- Where did you take it? -  
The human doesn't know what to answer first, so he just says everything he knows in one sentence.   
\- She just asked me to take it to the laboratories and then Sun Woo was supposed to take it to China. - he pauses for a moment and smirks before he continues. - He was going to take it to China and give it to a werewolf. -   
\- What! -   
\- I took you by surprise, didn't I? I was like that, too. You're lucky Sun Woo has a big mouth and he says all sorts of things like how angry he was about giving such a valuable object to a dirty dog...Those were his words, not mine. -   
\- But, why would Hye Ri give the weapon to a werewolf? What does she want from that? -   
\- That's all I know. I, too, don't understand why she would do that when she's been doing tests on werewolves for years. -   
The mention of tests makes Sehun pay more attention. I take it as my cue to step back a little and let him ask what he wants to know.   
\- Many years ago, I was taken to the laboratory. The doctors there did experiments on me but it seems that it was not to create hybrids, so then, what were you people trying to do? -   
The doctor's expression changes completely with Sehun's words. He's back to feeling in danger and looks at the rest of us while he mumbles incomprehensible words. When we less expected, he runs to what he thinks it's an exit.   
Sehun loses his patience and he shifts to run after him. We don't have time to react.   
\- Sehun, don't! -   
Only Jin is fast enough to get to the doctor a split second before Sehun attacks him and the three of them disappear.  
\- That was weird. Why did he hide that information and not the other part? - Baekhyun says out loud what we're all thinking.   
Jisoo, who had been silently watching, takes a step in front and answers our curiosity.   
\- Because what they were doing with werewolves before the idea of the hybrids, it's something he's hiding from Hye Ri. I suspected it when I talked with Rosé about what happened to her. He's doing his own experiments and Hye Ri doesn't know it. -   
\- So you're saying we do not only have to worry about Hye Ri and her hybrids, we also have to worry about the experiments a human is doing? - Chanyeol asks.   
\- If that's the case maybe is not such a bad idea that Sehun kills him. -   
\- Nobody is going to kill a human, Baekhyun. - Suho interrupts him. - Besides, I am more worried about the werewolf in China that he mentioned. -   
\- Why? Do you think is Kris or one of the princes? - I ask.   
\- No. That's precisely why it worries me. If it's not one of his people, it must be an intruder who obviously works for Hye Ri. We have to go there immediately the moment Jin and Sehun return. -  
\- Wait! First we need to go back home and make sure everyone is okay before we go. We need to explain everything to Soo Yeon and then ask Hanbin to take care of things for us. -  
\- You're right. -   
We let out a frustrated sigh while we sit back to wait for Jin and Sehun. I take this moment to go to Jisoo and hold her hand. Things are still not looking better for us but I want to make her feel good for now.   
\- This meeting went well since we know where's the weapon. Soon, we will face Hye Ri and kill her. Everything will be alright. -  
She looks at me and she can barely smile back. I haven't seen a genuine smile from her since yesterday and it hurts me. It physically pains me to know that she's suffering.   
\- The fact that she moved the weapon means that she's getting ready to use it again. -   
\- With you? That's you're saying? -   
\- Or with anyone that tries to stop her. She's getting ready to make Hae Ra's vision into reality. -   
I stay quiet. I don't know what to say and I just hug her to let her drown her tears on my chest. It takes me a moment to realize that Jin has returned with a somewhat dirty Sehun in his human form.   
\- What happened? Where's the doctor? -   
\- I tried to to take him back to his home but I couldn't do it with Sehun's teeth stuck on the human's leg. We just got to the street in front of his building where Sehun ran off like a crazed animal and I didn't know whether to chase a scared doctor, who threw himself to the traffic and got hit by a car, or to go after Sehun, who was also going after another human. -   
\- What? Sehun, why were you chasing another human? -   
\- I was confused. I was out of my mind and I just ran without knowing anything. -   
I'm sure I'm not the only one who can tell when Sehun is lying, but the others seem to let it go since we don't have time to worry about this for now.   
\- Did the doctor survive? -   
\- Humans are not meant to survive an accident like that. I heard the exact moment his heart stopped beating. -   
\- Well, it's too bad he died because of us, but we have things to do. -   
\- He didn't die because of us. He had something to hide and he chose to not let it be known. -   
\- Anyway, we need to go back home and get ready to go to China. -   
Jisoo holds onto me when we make a circle and Jin takes us all back. We knew vanishing was a fast way to go to one place to another but I was surprised of how fast it actually is. It's just like a blink of an eye.   
However, far from getting to our peaceful home, we find some visitors there. The clan of witches from before are standing in the living room with Hanbin's pack and Soo Yeon. The witches have blood all over them and visible bites from hybrids. One of them is on the ground unconscious and Mi Joo... is on the couch with an open wound on her chest.   
\- Jin... - she calls to the vampire and stretches her hand. He walks up to her to hold her hand. I don't know how he can be that close to her when she's covered in blood, but he seems to control himself.   
Suho transforms in panic the moment he doesn't see Hae Ra in here and runs to the stairs to go to their bedroom.   
\- What happened to you? - Kyungsoo asks. He's the first that manages to say something at all.   
\- We were attacked by Hye Ri and her hybrids. She was after Ma Ri, although luckily, Ma Ri escaped thanks to Hana. - the leader says. Hyun Woo is his name.   
\- What does Hye Ri want from Ma Ri that she even attacked her? - Jisoo finally asks.   
She takes a step closer to him and I tense up. His eyes lit up when he saw her and it bothered me but I still let her go. I don't have the time to be jealous right now.   
\- She wants Ma Ri's talisman. Hye Ri already has her sisters' talismans and she wants Ma Ri's to complete the image they represent. In other words, to complete the talisman that belonged to your grandmother, who was the last one to be called queen. -   
\- But, why? What does she want from the talismans? They won't work... No. Oh, it can't be! -   
I hear Jisoo's heart start racing more and more as her fear grows and I can hardly breathe. My mind can't process anything but I concentrate enough to listen to the explanation another witch gives.   
\- It is said in our world that after gathering all the talismans and completing the one which belonged to the former queen, the surviving child will receive her power. -   
In slow motion, I see Jisoo falling to the ground and I do it too, and I have no idea why she's like that but my body moves on its own.   
\- What was the power of the former queen? - I automatically ask.   
The pack, just like me, are waiting for the answer, but nothing could have prepared us for it.   
\- The queen was called "The collector of souls". It didn't matter if you were immortal or not... she killed everything she touched. - 


	22. Visitors.

**//**

The house where he was staying was rather small. Even smaller than his own back home. Anthony observed his surroundings with discontentment. The lands of this lycanthrope world were a large part of the woods. And all he had was a small piece of land.   
It was that evil witch's fault.   
The door opens in the quiet and dark night. Anthony didn't have to turn to see who it was.   
\- You were right. Warriors arrived to the king's house tonight. - says the young female werewolf that came with him.   
To make his story believable, he had to enter with only one companion so he could seem like a simple visitor, or to just seem harmless. Although it's not difficult to enter this land since the king it's known for his hospitality, but the wolf, Leah, was his better choice since she learned to speak different languages, inlcuding the one spoken here. Anthony communicated with the warriors in lydian, but he needed someone who could hear and understand useful conversations. And she did.   
\- I bet a witch came with them as well. Am I right? -   
\- Yes. -   
Before Anthony could congratulate himself, Leah hurried to correct her words.   
\- But is not the witch you're looking for. This witch has a different name and according to the ones who saw her, she's been marked by a king. Besides, seven wolves came and only three warriors. -   
\- It can't be... Why is there another witch with them? Hye Ri said Jisoo was alone with the warriors. She even take after her father in that matter because Woo Ri was always with her sisters. She was never alone. -   
Anthony takes a deep breath to stop himself. He was furious once again thinking about Woo Ri and her lover. Even more when he thought about their daughter.   
\- You don't have to lose patience just yet, sir. I learned that they're going to leave the lands and go to the human world tomorrow. It makes sense, don't you think? The king welcomes other werewolves and some peaceful creatures but never witches. The one you're trying to find, Jisoo must be in the human world with the rest of the warriors and they're going to meet tomorrow. -   
\- You are absolutely right, Leah. I see that bringing you here was not a waste at all. -  
Leah half smiles with the compliment. She was very little when Anthony was stripped off of his lands and the people living there were evicted. Her family was one of them. They have been living in poor conditions ever since, going from place to place, hiding from the humans. Not anymore. Anthony had promised to take everyone with him once he could get the lands in Korea. She was not a murderess, she had never hurt anyone, but if Anthony had to kill a witch in order to gain the lands, she was going to help him.   
\- Follow them. I want to know where that witch is. - Anthony says. Hye Ri exchanged the weapon for Woo Ri's talisman. She said he could kill Jisoo with the same weapon that killed Woo Ri. It was almost poetic.   
But he didn't trust in Hye Ri, so before they meet, he was going to find Jisoo first.   
"I will see you in hell, Woo Ri, but only after I kill your daughter."

 

**\- Jisoo. -**

I wake up feeling uneasy. I had a nightmare. In my dream, a woman was repeating the same words over and over: Be careful!   
Soon after, another voice joined the warning. They were asking me to protect myself. They sounded frenetic. I recognized one of the voices. My mother's.   
\- You can't sleep? -   
Kai's voice is heard in the room. I was so disturbed by the dream that I didn't notice him. I nod silently and look at the clock. It's 3:33 am. It's been five hours since we talked to Dr. Park and got home to find the clan of witches there. Five hours since we discovered Hye Ri's plan. We didn't stay in the house long enough to let the witches explain more so I quickly told them who Hwa Young, the former queen was. I know that she even killed her own mother at childbirth because of her power until she later learned to control it and only killed those she wanted to. Hwa Young was not as evil as Hye Ri.   
The thought of someone like Hye Ri having such power frightens me. We need to find the weapon and kill her before that. That's why we're here right now. To see the other king.   
\- What about you? I know you didn't sleep the night before either, shouldn't you be sleeping tonight at least? -   
Kai looks out the window and stares at the tall buildings the view displays.   
\- It's a big city, too crowded. I can't find a place to sleep here. And the roof of this hotel is not a choice either. - he says with sorrow. He's learning to control himself when fighting but he still needs to sleep in the open.   
\- You should've gone with Suho, Chanyeol and Baekhyun to the werewolves' world instead of staying here. -   
\- There is no way I would have left you alone. -   
\- But I'm not alone. Kyungsoo, Sehun, Soo Yeon and Rosé are here. Not to mention Jin, who would never let anything happens to me. -   
Kai smiles a little before he answers.   
\- Yeah, I know. He left his injured girlfriend in Korea. He does seem to put your wellbeing before anything else. -   
I smile as well. Kai's pack assumed Jin wouldn't come with us after seeing how injured Mi Joo was but they were wrong. Jin didn't hesitate in leaving her in the house with the witches.   
\- He knows you from before, doesn't he? You told me you met him seven years ago and that he helped you escaped but he did know you from before, right? -   
\- Jin and my father were best friends. After Jin was turned into a vampire, he tried to find out what happened to him because they lose almost all of their memories of their past lives. In his search, he met my father, who was a well known witch among the vampires because he did all kinds of jobs and investigations in exchange of strange objects. Their friendship lasted years up until my father's death. And before that, he made Jin promised to him that he would take care of my mother and me, but you already know what happened. Jin blames himself for that all the time. -   
I pause for a moment when my mind fills with memories of the night I ran away and met Jin. After absorbing Hye Ri's power and started a fire, they all left without knowing who did it. I went to look for the gate when he appeared there. I saw him days earlier in the house and he talked to me as if he knew me, he called me "child", and something about him seemed familiar. He offered me to go with him, he offered a way to leave that place in an instant and I said yes. I knew deep inside of me that he would really keep me safe. I'm one of the few who know Jin was about to be part of the first experiments to create the hybrids. That was the only thing he could do that allowed him to enter Hye Ri's house.   
I take a deep breath.   
\- You're right. Jin will do everything he can to not break that promise again. Even if he has to sacrifice himself. -   
Kai's eyes get darker and he lowers his head. I know my words meant something else for him and for a moment I'm scared that I made him jealous but I know he's not like that. To ease the tension, and to makes us both feel better, I get up from the bed wearing the trasparent nightgown and go to him.   
\- Since neither of us can't sleep... We can do something to keep us busy, don't you think? -   
I sit on his lap and he smiles after biting his lips. I hug him when I start kissing him and then I feel his hands going up my thighs.   
***  
\- We had to respect their rules. Had been the other way around, we would have done the same. - Kai says to Sehun, after he complains for the third time.   
The day passed quickly and at the sunset, we went to the place, a warehouse near a dock, where we're supposed to meet the other king. When we got here last night, only Suho, Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Hanbin's pack and Hae Ra, as Suho's mate, could go to their world. Rosé, Jin and I can't. We're not welcomed.   
\- It's true, we have to respect his lands. And also, you could have gone with them, it was your decision to stay with us. -   
I don't have to question why Kai stayed here and it was easy to guess why Kyungsoo stayed as well since Rosé couldn't go, but I don't understand why Sehun did. But then again, I still don't understand why they think Soo Yeon just chose to stay with her brother while I'm here watching her stealing glances at Jin at every chance she gets. The funny part is watching Jin trying his best to not look her way.   
\- Sehun is not ready to talk about what happened yesterday with the human he was chasing. He didn't go because they were going to ask him about it. - Kai says, and judging by Sehun's expression, he's right.   
\- Was it female or male? - Kyungsoo asks Jin.   
\- Female. It was a young girl that smelled like peaches. - Jin answers.   
Sehun tenses up and I can read anger on his face. He walks away without a word. Kai and Kyungsoo stare at each other for a moment before asking Jin more about the girl with aroma of peaches. I think I know what they're thinking.   
Seeing them being a bit more cheerful for the first time in two days, gives me the idea of asking a question I always wanted to ask because I have no way to know it.   
\- Kai, what do you smell like? -   
\- Cedar. - he smiles at me and I smile back to him. No wonder I like his scent. Actually, I think he's left it on me. I can perceive it a little bit.  
And all of them smell nice, too, so I turn to Kyungsoo to ask him the same question.   
\- Pine tree. - Rosé answers, surprising everyone. - I remember the scent from when I was still a werewolf and could smell it. - she finishes explaining.   
\- Rosé smells like vanilla. She didn't smell like that before, this is her witch scent. - Kyungsoo returns the favor while his cheeks go red, which makes us laugh.   
\- And Sehun? -   
\- Almonds. Huh, almonds and peaches go well together. -   
\- What does Jisoo smell like, Kai? - Soo Yeon asks.   
He stares at me for a moment and lets out a sigh.   
\- The best scent in the world, jasmin. - my heart races and Kyungsoo grins.   
\- So, jasmin? A feminine scent to seduce men that only you can smell? Now I know why you didn't want to tell us. -   
Jin clears his throat and crosses his arms above his chest. He was having a good time but I don't think he liked to hear the words "seduce men" related to me.   
Kai misinterprets my inquiring glance and he speaks up.   
\- Jin smells like burnt oil. - he says with a disgusted expression.   
It surprises me because he already told me what was his scent was and that's not...   
\- What are you talking about? Jin smells tangerines. - Soo Yeon says out loud what I was about to say.   
\- Tangerines? No, not at all. He smells like burnt oil and it covers completely your scent of roses. -  
Jin didn't seem too faze about what they were saying but Kyungsoo's last words greatly confused him.   
\- Roses? - it's the only thing he can say while he looks at Soo Yeon frowning.   
This is the moment the air changes. I can feel his tension rising up and I want to know what he's thinking about. But I don't have the time to talk to him, because Sehun comes back with a serious face.   
\- They're here. -

 

**\- Kai. -**

\- They're here. - Sehun says.   
I take Jisoo by the hand and hold her tight. I'm not afraid they would hurt her, they're not like that. They won't attack just for the sake of it and even less to a prince's mate. But still, I try to keep Jisoo closest to me.   
The door opens, Kris, Lay, Chen and Baekhyun enter.   
\- Were are Suho, Chanyeol and the followers? - Kyungsoo asks. We don't need to ask about the rest of his pack since a king shouldn't leave his home unprotected.   
\- Suho stayed with his mate when she said she didn't want to come. - the king answers. He's speaking our language knowing that there's at least one person in here who won't understand lydian.   
Jisoo squeezes my hand and I hear her heart racing. Learning that Hae Ra didn't want to come has made her feel nervous and I feel nervous, too. Has Hae Ra seen something about this meeting?   
\- The other werewolves got too excited for being back in a wolves' community and they wanted to stay longer. Hanbin was eager to come back but as their leader, he had to stay. And Chanyeol... had something to take care of. - Baekhyun adds.   
After Soo Yeon effusively greets the newcomers, Kyungsoo makes a signal to Rosé and she comes closer to Kris and the princes bowing in respect. She hasn't forgotten the customs and traditions of a werewolf.   
\- So this is the werewolf who is now a witch? - Lay goes around Rosé while he watches her intently. - You are fascinating! -   
Kyungsoo does not look pleased but he understands that Lay is only curious and not interested in her.   
However, Kris and Chen are more curious about Jisoo and they come to watch her with caution. I'm sure her undetectable scent impresses them.   
\- If I didn't know you and Suho's queen were cousins, I would've guessed it by your refusal of bowing down to me. - Kris smiles.   
Jisoo stays in silent and she shrugs her shoulders. Witches have a superiority complex and they see themselves above werewolves. And technically, Jisoo also comes from a royal family. She's not going to bow down to anyone.   
\- I have more important things to worry about at this moment. - she replies and I smile. This is the attitude she has in front of strangers. The attitude that allows her to hide the fear she feels inside.   
\- It's true. We are in a hurry. - Jin exclaims, finally coming out of the shadows where he was standing.   
The shocked expressions I thought I'd see in their faces is not how I imagined.   
\- What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be occupied in something else? - Chen says and his tone of voice sounds as if he's talking to an acquaintance. Not of camarederie but friendly.   
\- Do you know each other? - I ask.   
\- I travel a lot. We've crossed paths before. - the vampire says and the werewolves nod their heads awkwardly. They seem to be hiding something.   
\- Whatever. Jin is right, we need to hurry. - Sehun speaks up.   
With no more time to waste, we sit down to discuss our reason to come here. Kris says to have heard it everything from Suho already but he asks Jisoo to explain it better. She proceeds to tell the story of the weapon that she told us before, but this time she adds the fact that she was hurt by it and I almost lose control. I can see now why she feels the blood in it.   
\- The human said the weapon was brought here to a werewolf. Of course, we first needed to talk to you about it before we go to look for him in your lands since we would most likely fight with him. - I finish the explanation.   
\- How do you know the human wasn't lying when he said it? - Chen has his doubts. Kyungsoo answers instead.   
\- Because it's easy to know when a human lies. They can't hide it. Besides, we had a point of comparison when he refused to talk about the other experiments. -  
\- Kris, please, I know it's hard to think one of your people could work for Hye Ri but, do you think about someone who might be? -   
Kris turns to Lay and gives his consent for him to speak.   
\- There's a visitor. He got here about a week ago with a female companion. He's been trying to keep it low but there's something suspicious about him. -   
\- Who is he? -   
\- It's a sensitive issue. The wolf used to be a prince before his home was taken from him in a war of power. He comes from America and... -  
\- Wait, is his name Anthony by any chance? - Jin interrupts.   
\- Yes... -  
\- Do you know who he is? - Jisoo wants to know.   
\- Well, I know about a werewolf named Anthony who was a prince and he... had something with Woo Ri. He claimed she was his mate. -   
\- What! -   
Jisoo and I speak at the same time. Only the three of us know who Woo Ri was and we explain it to the others.   
\- Why you never told me this? -  
\- Because it's your mother's past. I didn't have the right to talk about it. Besides, I don't know him, I just know what Yoo Hyuk told me about him. That after years of her rejection, this werewolf was after her because he blamed her for the loss of his lands or something. I told you your father didn't like werewolves. -   
\- Still, you should've told me that my mother was also the mate of a werewolf... - Jisoo voices lowers at the same time she gets lost in thoughts of what she's just discovered.   
On the other hand, things start to make sense to us. Jisoo and I were united even before we were born. When my father didn't find his mate and had me with somebody else. When Woo Ri rejected a prince to later have a child with a witch. Jisoo was born to follow the fate her mother rejected. And I to follow the fate my father never found.   
I think Baekhyun just got the answer to the question he wanted to ask the Gods.   
\- What matters today is that if he's the same werewolf, he definitely knows Hye Ri and if he was after Woo Ri, he could be holding a grudge against Jisoo and be willing to... -   
Jin can't even finish his sentence and I star to feel sick with the idea. Fortunately, I see the faces of the werewolves changing.   
\- Well, I just needed to hear what you had to say about it and have a confirmation. But I was ready to accept to this the moment he sent his companion to follow us. -   
\- Yeah, Chanyeol said he could perceive her scent way before we left the other world and he took a different road to divert her attention. - Baekhyun adds.   
\- So then we can enter... ? -   
I stay in the middle of the question when I feel something strange. I'm not the only one. The other werewolves and Jin can smell the unwelcome visitors coming here. In other words, unknown werewolves.  
We place ourselves in position and I take Jisoo's hand to put her right behind me. Kyungsoo has no need to say anything to Jin, he just takes Soo Yeon and Rose's arms, vanishing with them only to appear alone seconds later.   
\- They are ten of them. -  
He tries to approach Jisoo and I nod at him, but she has a different idea.   
\- Don't even think about it. I have to be here. -   
I stare at her. I get lost in her eyes for a moment. I wish nothing of this would be happening. I wish our troubles were a horrible nightmare. But it's not.   
And as of now what gets me the most is the crude reality of a nightmare taking the form of a werewolf who has come to take revenge on my mate. I can tell it the moment he enters with his nine companions, by the look in his eyes and his body language that scream danger. How can I ask the Gods why is this happening if I myself did it as well. I'm paying the sins I've committed. 


	23. Loss.

**\- Jisoo. -**

The moment the intruders enter I feel the magic and blood coming from the weapon the man in the middle hides in his back. I start to fight the urge of going up to him and take it. I'm so close to having it. But the fact that he brought it here means he wants to use it.   
Just like Jin said, they are ten. The one standing in the middle gives the appearance of being just over thirty years old. Nothing about him catches my attention. He looks so simple and plain and I almost doubt he was ever a prince. His expression is cynical and his voice has a tone of mockery when he speaks.   
\- I'm sorry for the intromision. -   
\- May I know what was the reason for this act of discourtesy? - the king asks in his tone of authority showing his status.   
\- Do not worry, king Yifan. I know it was rude to send Leah as a distraction while my other men followed you, but we aren't here to fight with the warriors. Not even to fight with that vampire. I just came for that witch... -   
This is the moment he finally sees me clearly and he almost loses his breath.   
\- Woo... Woo Ri? -   
His voice can barely be heard and he tries to take a step closer, which makes the warriors be ready in the case he attacks me, but he's just baffled by the resemblance I have to my mother.  
When he says my mother's name he confirms to be the person Jin was talking about.   
I can feel my force field expanding a few centimeters and I lower my gaze. When I look up to him, the expression on his face changes drastically.   
Kai steps to his left to cover more part of me from their sight. The movement gets the wolf's attention. He notices Kai's obvious message of being protective of his mate and he looks at the mark on my arm.   
\- So Hye Ri was right after all. Woo Ri's daughter is what she never wanted to be, an evil witch and a princess. -   
His words surprise me. So Hye Ri knows what I mean to Kai. When Hae Ra said she knew he would come back to me, I thought she was referring to the vision and the blue glow they wouldn't have known how he got it. I thought Hye Ri didn't know much about werewolves. I underestimated her. Or, based on what I discovered today, there a lot of things I don't know about my family.   
Worst of all, it's the fact that Kai was wrong because Hye Ri must know she doesn't need me since he already has my blue glow. And it makes me not her main target anymore. It's him.   
\- You should be careful, boy. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree and this witch is the identical copy of her mother, except she has the awful looking blue eyes her father had and not Woo Ri's purple ones. Don't trust her, she's going to leave you when she doesn't need you anymore like the evil witch she is. -   
Kai laughs out loud and I sense his discomfort.   
\- I'm quite sure Woo Ri's rejection had more to do with you than to what she was. - he says and Anthony gets furious.   
Kai's pack, the other warriors and Jin stand on our sides, getting ready to fight.   
\- I'm afraid Mr. Anthony that I can't allow such action of treason. By your own mouth you claimed to come for the witch, however, she is the mate of a prince, which means none of you can put a hand on her. - the king Kris says.   
He speaks in the language the rest of the visitors can understand so they would know the true meaning of what they have come to do and he manages to scare them a little because they look my way trying to show respect. They even look as if they want to bow down to me.   
\- Oh, I don't want to put a hand on her, I've been told what her power is. I just want to stab her with this. - Anthony shows the weapon he had been hiding.   
Kai is about to shift and he curses Anthony's name under his breath. The pack comes closer to me, while Jin sensed danger and stands behind me, ready to disappear with me.   
But I notice the way Anthony holds the object, the way he looks at everyone and how he counts how many steps he's away from the exit. He's trying to know how long it would take him to escape just in case he manages to stab me because he knows he's in a disadvantage. I don't have their instict and even I can tell the other werewolves are not warriors, and so, they would lose the fight.   
On the contrary, the werewolves on my side show confidence in their movements although they're being cautious, so I get ready to do what I know best. To lie.   
\- This was such a waste of time. Let's go, he doesn't have the weapon we were looking for. -   
I walk in direction of the exit, where the visitors are standing. Kai comes behind me, surprised and wanting to stop me but he knows that as long as I'm not giving my back to Anthony I'm safe. And he doesn't seem to know where he needs to stab me to kill me. However, one of his wolves comes to me with the intention of taking the advantage.   
I got to him and touch his arm, making him fall to the ground while he screams in pain. I keep my hand above him, with my force field expanding only on him until I finally stop. This will make him feel pain for at least half an hour.   
I turn to the other werewolves, knowing that my eyes are blue again and they step back in fear, one even runs off. But Anthony doesn't pay attention to the wolf screaming on the floor or the one who went away. He just stares at me with a frown.   
\- What do you mean I don't have the weapon you're looking for? -   
\- What do you think I mean? The weapon you're holding with shaking hands is fake. -   
\- What? No, it's not. This is the real deal, that thing half vampire, half witch gave it to me. -   
\- Do you really think Hye Ri was going to let you have the real one? She tricked you. - I gave him my most evil smile, hoping the similarity with it and Hye Ri's smile will convince him he has a fake one.   
It works. I can read his expression of anger when he believes it and I take this chance to look at Kai and make him know Anthony actually has the real weapon. He gets it and signals his pack to let them know as well. We plan to attack and take the weapon, we just have to wait for the right moment, but my mind gets distracted by the words that come from him.   
\- I'm so sick of you evil witches! This should be the day I kill you but once again I'm going to settle with just killing your father. -   
I feel a lump in my throat. Everyone can feel my tension and they also feel disgusted by his confession.   
\- What did you say? - I don't have enough voice to talk.   
\- What you heard, kid. I killed your father, the powerless witch who stole my mate. -   
I turn to Jin, who doesn't understand what the wolf says in lydian and along with my own pain, I feel sorry for his when I get to explain it.   
\- You killed a defenseless witch, the man your mate was in love with just because she rejected you? - the prince named Chen can barely believe it.   
\- You don't understand, I had to do it. I begged Woo Ri to give me her talisman as a gift, I wanted her to mark me so she would have to stay with me and she just... laughed in my face. She was so evil. But even after losing my lands, I was waiting for her. I knew she was with this witch and that they got married in the human world, but those unions are not valid in our worlds, and I was waiting for her to grew tired of him like she did with me. Then one day I saw him wearing it. He was wearing it because she gave it to him. I had no choice but to kill him. I opened him from the chin to the underbelly time after time until he finally gave in and I watched him bleed out slowly while he was repeating "Woo Ri" and "Jisoo" over and over. Woo Ri had not given birth yet so that's the only thing he was ever going to know about you, your name. -   
When he finishes talking, my eyes are filled with tears. I never met my father, I've only heard stories about him but his death always seemed unfair to me. And learning the details of it, as well as learning who actually killed him, it's affecting me more than what I thought it would.   
\- So you chose to leave your mate and her daughter without a husband and father? You chose to leave Woo Ri without the person who was protecting her so then her sister would've killed her later? Well, I suppose that's what you wanted and like the coward you are, you let somebody else do it, otherwise you would've died with her. - Kai's voice has the same sentiment everyone seems to be having.   
Anthony is about to repeat his words and then he notices the necklace on Kai. It's glowing because I can hardly control my force field from expanding. The talisman looks simple to anyone who is not a magical being but from the glow, he can know what it is. He smiles with bitterness at the realization that while he was telling his pathetic story of not being the owner of the talisman, Kai was wearing mine all along. I realize that Kai has it, not as a mark, but with the meaning it had to my parents and it makes me feel proud. It's enough to calm me down.   
And it's the calm that enables me to hear the rain that starts to fall and the noise of the waves crashing on the shore. We find weird what's happening since it looks as if the weather changed from one moment to the other, or worse, as if someone's manipulating the water.   
I turn to Anthony with an alarmed expression and his mocking smile is the answer.   
\- Oops! I forgot to mention that I also invited Hye Ri to this meeting. -   
Kai and I step forward to claim the weapon from his hand before Hye Ri gets here but we're thrown to the wall after a strong gust of wind hits us. The foundations of the warehouse begin to shake when the earth trembles violently and we're buried in ruins.   
\- Jisoo! - Kai screams my name but it's all I hear after the building falls down completely and a blow of a small explosion throws me into the ocean.   
The water gets cold the moment I fall in. It's so cold it pierces my lungs. I try to swim to the surface but it's obvious Hye Ri is manipulating the part where I am because I can't move.   
I don't have idea what's happening up there and I don't have the time to think about it when my mouth, nose and throat are filled with water. I think I'm going to drown. I think she's going to make me drown until I can't resist it. I focus on making the talisman on Kai to at least protect him from a curse or a spell. I haven't managed to completely control the power of it but I have to try it. I don't even know if Hye Ri already has the five talismans and all I want right now is to protect him.   
Suddenly, the space in the water feels free from pressure. Maybe she believes me dead already and has stopped to focus on me since it seems something definitely made her stop.   
When I get to the surface I take a deep breath. The water keeps moving restless but not as before. I'm not too far from where we were but because of the darkness I can't see anything.  
It doesn't take me too long to reach the shore and stepping on the land, I can already feel Hye Ri's energy, she's very close. My ears are filled with water so I can't hear but I can catch sight of the fighting taking place. I start to walk slowly as if in a trance. There's fire everywhere I look, her favorite power.  
I first spot the red wolf, Baekhyun fighting hybrids. Not too far, a brown wolf, Kyungsoo lies on the ground. His skin is raw from what I assumed was Hye Ri burning him. If I hadn't seen others suffering the same punishment countless of times before, the sight would have made feel sick. And even though I know he can't die, I still feel sorry for the pain he will endure recovering from it.   
My heart keeps breaking when I franctically look for Kai and Jin. I can see the other warriors fighting against the hybrids as well and I see some of the wolves that came with Anthony on the ground but I don't see Jin anywhere and it's Kai the first I find.   
He's the only wolf close enough to Hye Ri. Actually, he's pretty close to her. She has a wound on her neck and part of her chest and while Kai is covered with blood from the hybrids, I'm sure he's the one who did that to her. He managed to bite her, although she has fire around her like always. Sehun is close to him, protecting him at the same time he's fighting his enemies.   
Kai is in his state of frenzy where he focuses on one target and he won't stop until he can reach and hurt Hye Ri again. The hybrids do their best to stop him and he goes past them so easily he only has to push one down to break his neck.   
Hye Ri doesn't see me yet, she doesn't notice how close I am, she's just staring at Kai. She's injured but she's not using her power against him. She doesn't want to because she knows who he is. And she wants to take him unhurt to start the experiments on him.   
This thought wakes me up from my reverie and all my fury explodes in me once again, expanding my force field. I hear the cries of pain of the hybrids when my power hits them and sadly, I hear Baekhyun's growling, too.   
This is what finally makes Hye Ri to notice me. Her expression changes, she smiles and her eyes light up like she was happy to see me. Well, she's happy to see what my power can do. Her superiority complex gives her the idea that I'm her only worthy adversary. I'm relieved to see her wearing only her talisman. I guess she hasn't found Ma Ri yet.   
I walk more decidedly, leaving a trail of pain with every step I take to every wolf or hybrid my power touches. I focus again on controling the power of the talisman and I think it starts to work. It glows so brightly and Hye Ri's smile widens.   
And then... the time stops. I feel a sharp pain in my stomach and looking down I see the magical knife there. My legs go limp and I fall on my knees, the blood coming out of me. I think it reduced my force field because I stop hearing the screams. Or maybe I can't hear them anymore. I turn to Anthony, who was hiding in the shadows, and he grins wickedly. He didn't even shift, he stayed in his human form so he could stab me. I don't think he cares if the weapon is the real one or not, he's just happy to hurt me.   
It takes me a moment to take the knife out of me and while doing so, I let out a cry, followed by a howl of mourning from Kai when he hears the pain in my voice. I see everything in slow motion, how he runs to Hye Ri, who was distracted by Anthony's sudden attack and doesn't see the black wolf approaching her. But Kai has changed targets and he pushes Hye Ri down with his body. She falls with a cracking sound. He broke her leg and she loses consciousness.   
The hybrids not touched by my power who were still fighting with Sehun and Kai, remain immobile after her fall, like broken toys. They're under Hye Ri's spell and if something happens to her, they basically stay lifeless.   
I just watch them for a moment and I return my gaze to Kai. He gets to Anthony and opens up his stomach with his claws. The former prince is also immortal but he does feel the pain and he shouts louder when Kai bites off his right arm.  
I see my blood running through my thighs and Sehun runs to me but he faints once he gets in contact with my power. Hye Ri regains consciousness and the hybrids move again. Forgetting Sehun, they focus on Kai, overpowering him when he seems to get weaken. I try to move but I can't do it.   
An arm comes out of the moving earth in front of me and then another one. It's Jin. He comes out covered in dirt and gasping for air. Hye Ri buried him underground to stop him from vanishing.   
I can almost see his soul leaving his body when he sees my injure. He looks at Kai and the hybrids and he nods his head like saying something to him. I realize too late what is his plan.   
\- No, Jin. Please, don't! - I can hardly speak with the blood in my mouth and the tears in my eyes. - Go to him, save him! -   
I yell at him in vain. He vanishes only to appear right beside me a second later and take my hand. The last thing I see is Hye Ri leaving the place with her hybrids carrying an unconscious Kai.   
The living room of the house I know so well and gave me so much comfort, looks so empty and dark. Jin slips down, out of energy for touching me and being inside the force field.   
\- Why did you do it? -   
I say with a sad voice.   
\- He... asked me to... Kai told me... I had to keep the promise I made to your father... that I had to leave him and take you away. -   
\- Take me back to him now. Take me back, please. - I beg him.   
Jin doesn't listen to me. He fainted after he said those words. I hear footsteps coming from the stairs. It's the clan of witches accompanied by someone, Ma Ri.   
She stares at me with big eyes but all her attention goes to the object I hold in my hands. The weapon I gained after losing Kai. 


	24. Inferno.

**\- Kai. -**

I wake up feeling the loss of something. It's hard to even open my eyes and all I see are dots when I do it. My cheeks are wet. Tears. There's something dry in my mouth and face. It's blood.   
I try to move and I feel a burning in my neck. I take my hand there and I realize it's a chain. I'm chained from the neck to the wall and the silver chain it's ripping apart my skin. But something's missing. Jisoo's talisman.   
The memory of the events flash through my head. The encounter with Anthony, Hye Ri's appearance, the fire, the crash. Jisoo in the water...  
I get up and I barely manage to touch the bars of the cell where I'm locked in, when the chain tied to my neck brings me back to the ground. The silver hurts me with every movement but I do everything I can to get up on my feet again.   
\- Enough! -   
A voice is heard in the room. A female voice, which I remember vaguely. I see the tail of her black dress first and then I see the fire around her. Hye Ri.   
She's not moving, she's sitting down with a bandage on her neck and chest. Next to her is a hybrid with a disfigured face. I know him, too. Sun Woo.   
\- You're too noisy and for my purposes I can't let you keep hurting yourself... -   
Hye Ri stops talking and looks at me with surprise. She looks at me from head to toe and I can see a gleam of approval in her eyes.   
\- You heal fast. -   
\- Where's Jisoo? -   
I answer back. I don't care what she has to say about me. That I heal incredibly faster than the rest it's not new to me and I don't care. I just want to know where Jisoo is, if she's okay. The last thing I remember is that she was thrown to the ocean but I have the horrible sensation of hearing her scream in pain and it's killing me.   
Sun Woo comes to me, a smirk on his face as he gets from his pocket a talisman.   
\- Jisoo is laying unconscious upstairs... after I drank her delicious blood. -   
I grab him by the neck. He didn't have time to react. His words made me feel sick and scared but something inside me says it isn't true. My inner wolf tells me she's not here. However, I'm so furious that I sqeeze his neck hard.   
\- M...Madam? He..lp...me. - he barely can say anything and he uses his arms to try to stop me. He scratches me with his fingernails, he hurts my eye but I don't stop. I keep holding him.   
The chain hurts me and my arm burns from the silver bars but I don't care. I should kill him and change the vision. But hybrids don't die like this.   
Hye Ri doesn't do anything. She's still sitting, just watching. It's when Sun Woo drops the talisman and she sees me about to pick it up, that she steps in and burns my hand.   
Once again, I see her eyes lighting up when the burn starts healing almost immediately. The hybrid, on the other hand, has a burning that seems to have been there for days.   
Sun Woo falls down and looks angrily at me.  
\- If you talk about Jisoo like that ever again, I'm going to cut you into pieces. I will rip off every extremity of your body while you're still alive. -   
My warning makes Hye Ri laugh.   
\- I don't see what's funny. And you could've help me sooner. - Sun Woo says to her.  
\- What for? You're only making things worse like you always do. If he believes Jisoo is here and hurt is not going to work for me. You should go, before I decide to let him do what he warned you because knowing what he did to Anthony, I assure you he can. -   
Hye Ri's words shake me a little and I don't even pay attention when Sun Woo leaves. I'm certain Jisoo was hurt, I feel it, but I can't remember much. It's all too confusing. I really do hope Jin kept his word and saved her. It troubles me that I don't know either what happened to the pack and the other warriors. I don't know if they're here as well.   
But I don't want to ask. I don't think is a good idea to let her know what happens to me in a fight. One way or another, it could be useful to her. It's best if I keep quiet about it.   
\- I'm curious to know what your power will be when you become a hybrid. Healing a wound the instant you're harmed? It'll be very impressive a werewolf-half witch, an immortal with a healing power. - Hye Ri stands up, but she's limping.   
I stay unfazed. I have the strange feeling that I was the one who did that to her but I'm not so sure. So I just follow her conversation.   
\- Hybrids are not immortal and they're half vampires. What makes you think I'd keep my immortality? -   
She smiles.  
\- Fair enough. But vampires are already living the afterlife since they die when they are turned. Vampires are not born. Their immortality is not a gift from the Gods like it is to a werewolf who gets it by reaching maturity. So there is a big chance, don't you think? -   
\- I'll have to give it up then, before I become a hybrid. - I answer while looking to the ground. I'm looking at Jisoo's talisman.   
Hye Ri comes to it and takes it. I look away from her bewitching eyes. But I look at her own talisman and I recognize the part from which Hae Ra's is based on. Her name makes me think in the pack and I feel uneasy again. I want to know about them.   
\- I'm happy that you speak like this. That you accept the destiny written for you. - she says, referring to the part of becoming a hybrid. - It's too bad that I can't cast a spell on you yet. The experiment has proven to be unsucessful if done earlier. But soon you'll be my loyal ally. -   
I don't say anything. I don't have much to talk with her if I can't ask about the people I care. And her babblings are bullshit to me.   
\- You're just like Hae Ra described you. Sure, there are some differences here and there but the experiment will change some of your features. -   
She keeps on going. She mentions things of the procedures that I don't give a fuck so I don't pay attention.   
-... You know? I wasted a lot of time on other werewolves. I knew Hae Ra's vision but I thought it only made you one of them not precisely the first. Of course, my own reluctance to accept what you are influenced in it, too. Hyun Woo always claimed you were a prince but I didn't want to believe it. How could a fourteen year old be able to curse a warrior when it's very difficult for a grown witch to do that? But, when I found out she was your mate it all made sense. -   
Her voice is so annoying and that cold smile make me feel sick to my stomach.   
\- And it's what it made everything easier. The vision is soon to be reality judging by that wonderful blue glow you have on you. But I couldn't see it before. When you were with Jisoo and... what did you do together? Oh yes, dancing. I'd say you danced... around here. -   
I freeze. My expressionless face crumbles apart while I stare at the part she pointed. I take a look at the surroundings and the stairs I didn't notice before.  
\- Does the place look familiar to you? I had to remodel it after I burned it down but I took the trouble of leaving some things the same. Are you nostalgic for the time you spent here? I must admit the competitions with you as the star were more entertaining. -   
I'm shaking. It's hard to breathe and it's even harder to keep control. I can't believe this is the place. But it is.   
\- In particular, I remember a very young werewolf that was crying for his parents when he got here and I gave him a candy to calm him down. Then I cursed him and I led him directly to the battlefield where it only took you less than a minute to kill him. -   
Hye Ri starts laughing in her typical way of doing it. That evil way. But I can barely listen to her. Her words almost stopped my heartbeat. I focus on the small window at the top where you can see a tiny bit of light. Where you can see outside.   
Where the voices are coming from. Or they come from my head.   
"Prince, Jongin..."  
"Don't kill me..."   
"Jongin, don't do it... "  
"Murderer!"  
I can't take it anymore and I shift. The chain is thin, very small for my animal form. With the efforts, the wall to which I'm chained begins to break a little. Fire spreads inside the cell, around me and I hear from afar Hye Ri's laugh. The voices explode in my head. There's crying and more laughter.  
I'm about to strangle myself and the smoke from the fire makes me dizzy. But the physical pain is nothing. The pain inside me is worse. I'm back.   
I'm back in hell.

 

**\- Suho. -**

\- She's playing you, Suho. Hae Ra's been playing us all. She told us Jisoo would find Hye Ri first, that's why we weren't expecting her and we weren't ready. But I bet this was her plan all along. And now we lost Jongin. Again. -   
Baekhyun's voice sounds bitter and filled with resentment. I don't blame him. We promised Kai we wouldn't let this happened to him again and we failed him. No. I failed him. I should've been there with them, it should've been me the one going against Hye Ri. I'm the king, I'm the leader. It's my responsibility. I should've been the one suffering what Kyungsoo suffered. But I was not with them, simply because I was still angry at Jisoo for what she did to Hae Ra. I was so stupid.   
\- I wasn't talking about this encounter. - Hae Ra defends herself.   
\- Well, isn't that convenient? - Baekhyun remarks.   
Sehun is quiet but I can see that he agrees. How can I not know it when they're still covered in blood? While Kyungsoo is in a bed, with his burned skin healing little by little. Even Kris and the other two are still in silence. Hanbin's pack are outside of the room. They're kneeling, taking voluntarily a penance for not helping their prince. Soo Yeon hasn't stopped crying since Luhan brought her and Rosé from the hotel for seeing her brother like that and Kai's disappearance.   
\- The witch burned him. He was closer to her when she appeared and she burned him multiple times. - Sehun rests his head on his hands and repeats what happened to Kyungsoo. It's the only thing he has said, he seems to be traumatized by it.   
\- The evil witch could've taken us all with her if not for the fact that the humans began to approach to know what was going on. What would you have done without us, king? What kind of pack are we if we can't protect one of us? What kind of leader are you? We don't even know what happened to Chanyeol since he didn't even come back yet. -  
Baekhyun is about to throw a punch at me. I can tell it by the way he opens and closes his fists. I think he doesn't do it out of respect. Or because he doesn't want to make a scene in front of the other pack, but seeing their expression, they're on his side.   
\- Actually, I think they left because the witch was injured. Kai managed to hurt her twice. How much do you think she's going to make him pay for that? - Lay says with sorrow. And it makes Sehun and Baekhyun more anxious. And my heart breaks more.  
I haven't been able to respond to anything Baekhyun has said because I'm not a cynic. He's speaking the truth. But still, I refuse to believe this was Hae Ra's plan. I know it, deep inside of me.   
Five more days go by. Fortunately, Kyungsoo has recovered fast, although he can't shift back to human yet. He has awakened on different occasions and I'm glad the young witch that is by his side now can't communicate with werewolves anymore because he has muttered In Hye's name all the time. But it's natural he longs for his mate.   
Hae Ra has stayed apart from everyone and kept her hands on her lap. Together with Kris's pack and some of his people, we've been doing searches in remote places to find clues as to where Hye Ri could have gone to. Anthony and the werewolves that were with him are still unconscious but I doubt he'd say anything anyway. A punishment for their act of treason awaits them.   
Baekhyun and Sehun have not spoken to me, until now.   
\- We have agreed to go back to Korea. Jin probably took Jisoo back to his house and there's a chance Chanyeol could be there, too. Are you coming with us or you will choose to stay with your mate again? -   
I'm about to reply when a commotion takes place outside the living room. I recognize the scent, just like Baekhyun and Sehun, who hurry to welcome Chanyeol. But instead of finding him alone, he appears a little dirty, smiley and holding the hand of an unknown werewolf.   
\- I'm sorry to come till today, but... - Chanyeol can't even finish his sentence because he senses the animosity in the air.   
\- Where the hell were you? -   
\- We thought you were captured! -  
\- What is she doing here? -   
\- Why did you bring her? -   
\- Maybe she can tell us something. -   
I intervene in what it looks it could turn into an altercation. Kris, Chen, Lay and Baekhyun seem to recognize the young girl and they were ready to corner her to question her. But I try to stop it because it's not hard to guess what Chanyeol was going to say, judging by the marks on their necks.  
\- This is Leah. I know you could have ill feelings towards her for what she came here to do, but she is my mate. Can you believe it? And we used this week to uhm... get to know each other. - Chanyeol smiles with joy and the girl does it shyly as well.   
\- I don't think this was the best time for that. - Tao is the first to speak.   
\- Why? -   
\- Did nobody tell you? - Xiumin asks.  
But he has no time to explain because Baekhyun interrupts him.   
\- And this is why it took you this long to come back while we were worried about you? Ha! it's funny, you and Suho always wanted to find your mates. We should've known that once you find them, that would be the only thing you were going to care about. -   
Baekhyun walks away with Sehun and Chanyeol just looks confused. When he finally gets told what happened and the fact that Kai was captured again, he turns to Hae Ra and his eyes get darker. He stares at me one last time before he goes following the others.   
I'm left completely alone with Hae Ra in just a few moments. She comes to me.  
\- We go with them, Junmyeon. I saw it in your future. - She puts her hand on my hair and caresses me.   
I feel weak by her touch and I turn around to see her. She smiles at me. She doesn't do it in front of anyone, just me. She only lets me see it. Her laugh, her sadness, her tears. I have seen beyond her expressionless face, I have seen her vulnerability ever since I met her, something nobody else has.  
But... what if they're right? What if it's always been her plan? Her and Hye Ri's plan? What if I see more from her, not because I'm her mate, but because it's the illusion she wants me to see? She already cursed me once, and even though I'm not sure if she can bewitch, she could've put me under her spell. It doesn't matter, I'm deeply in love with her for me to care about it.   
But I'm still a king, I'm still a leader and my pack is my family. I already lost my younger brother once for more than two years, I don't want to lose him forever this time. I'm going to have to make a decision. But my options are few.   
I look at Hae Ra again and my heart sinks with the thought that I might have to choose hell instead of heaven... and let them kill her.

 

**\- Kai. -**

I can't move. It's cold. Hye Ri left the place frozen after she understood the fire didn't bother me. It's night time and there's only darkness.   
It's been days since I've been here, I'm not so sure how long but I think it's been over two weeks. Last week, I discovered there are no other werewolves here. Just me. Hye Ri said she was only interested in me so it was okay. She's lying. It was a weakness from her not to be able to bring anybody else.   
It didn't take her much time to find out why she didn't notice my glow before.   
\- You only glow when Jisoo is not with you. I wonder what happens to her. -  
She regretted saying those things because I almost broke the bars that keep me locked when she mentioned Jisoo. I know she was injured and knowing it, as well as knowing that she's going through her own inferno for being apart from me, makes me ten times stronger. Although my body hurts. Everything hurts because I marked her and the wolf in me screams that I should be with her.   
The voices are not helping me either. They keep mocking me. They say I shouldn't have returned. They say the place where they died shouldn't exist anymore. That I have to destroy it. I agree.   
The experiments have begun. They get me out of the basement and take me to a small laboratory built outside the house. Where the cages used to be. We pass next to the place I fought and I lose control there. The gates of hell are there. There's blood still on the ground. At least I think I can see it.  
The doctors, the humans in white robes have barely be able to do their experiments on me with the things they inject me that seem to poison my blood. They almost can't come to me. Hye Ri made her hybrids try to stop me but I was about to beat one to death.   
So now I'm chained from the neck, hands and feet to the wall. The silver burns me but I don't mind. I never thought the experiment would work so quick. Well, I think it's working because there's a presence in this place that calls to me. There's an energy in the house, something I have felt before, it's what Jisoo described of feeling the energy of another witch. But, is it another witch what I'm feeling?   
No.   
It's the talisman. I can feel its power, I think it's even glowing where they keep it hidden. And if the experiments are not working yet, then it's Jisoo the one doing it. She's controlling the talisman's power from where she is. She's becoming stronger. More dangerous. I'll do it, too. I'll find a way to break these chains, go get the talisman and I'll leave this place.  
I've done it before. I'll become a runaway again. 


	25. Stronger.

**\- Jisoo. -**

\- I can't heal this wound. -   
I open my eyes when I hear Ma Ri's voice. I see her standing next to my bed but from a meter away. She can't come closer because of my power. My whole body hurts. I still feel blood in my mouth and I think I'm running a fever.   
\- I have tried to heal it but I can't. It was made with a magical knife. It's going to have to heal with time. Let's just be glad whoever injured her didn't know how to use the weapon. -  
Her words could make me laugh. She healing me? Since when has she ever done such a thing? It surprises me she didn't take the weapon and stabbed me herself. I still remember clearly all the times I was left on the floor bleeding from the broken curses since I was ten. Ma Ri never worried about healing me then. But she always healed Hae Ra's frostbites and she didn't even appreciate it.   
Is this the main reason why I dislike both of them? Yes, it could be.   
\- "Do not cry, Hae Ra. Crying is a weakness and you should never show it. And especially, you can not cry in front of Hye Ri, do you understand?" -   
Those were Ma Ri's words. Hae Ra never answered back, she just listened to her. So did I. And that's why I never cried in front of them. I only did it with Kai.   
Thinking of him and the fact that Hye Ri captured him burns me inside and I end up throwing up blood. My hands are shaking but I can barely move and doing it makes me feel so much pain. My glow grows and Ma Ri, sensing it, walks away from me. But it's not surprising to her. I've been doing this since a week ago when we got here.   
\- What kind of magic does this knife have? - Hyun Woo says, observing the weapon. - Is it a curse? A spell? Or perhaps... Fairy dust? -  
\- Fairy dust? No way. I thought fairies were extinct. - Wonho says.   
\- Oh, my dumb children. Fairies are not extinct. They're just in their world, where Hye Ri trapped them. -   
\- Ugh! The evil witch ruins everything. Fairies are the opposite of us and I miss seeing them cause they always made you feel happy. - Kihyun complains.   
I try to close my eyes again. I'm too tired, they keep talking and they don't seem to want to leave my bedroom. Changkyun is the one making more noise when he enters.   
\- Ma Ri, what did you say we needed to do to help the vampire regain conscious? Hyungwon and Hana said that Mi Joo already warned us she's not going to stop the rain until he wakes up and I've had it with this wet weather. -   
\- Why are you even asking? Of course I meant you have to feed him. -  
\- What! Hell no! I don't want him to bite me. -   
\- Not directly, you idiot. Pour your blood in a cup and give it to him. - Minhyuk answers.   
I open my eyes again when I remember that Jin is also injured. I haven't said a word but I have to do it now.   
\- Jin... has... jars of blood for emergencies. -   
When they hear me, they come to me with slow footsteps. Hyun Woo is the only one who gets near me and he even puts his hand on my forehead to check my fever.   
He bites his tongue when he feels pain and the lights flicker.   
\- Stop doing that, Hyun Woo. Her power will be more painful while she's hurt. -   
I don't care what Ma Ri says. I turn to him and I reach to his hand with mine. I look at his eyes, mine filled with tears.   
\- I need...to know...where Kai is. I want to know...where the other werewolves...are. And Jin...would want to know... - I stop at that part. Not because I can't keep going but because I can't say something Jin has not given me permission to say. - I want to know if Soo Yeon and Rosé are okay. - I finish saying.  
\- Do you want me to go China? - Jooheon asks me since he could go and be back in a few seconds.   
It seems he's going to do it when I nod with my head, but Ma Ri stops him. She says something to Kihyun, who comes to me feeling sorry. He puts me back to sleep.   
I don't know for how long I keep sleeping. It seems to be days. I have nightmares of the night Hye Ri attacked us, the night she took Kai. My body trembles, I cry in my sleep. I feel so much pain. Phyiscal and mental.   
I have woken up but I prefer to be asleep. I'm suffering the same symptoms I did from when I believed him dead. I have them because I know he must be suffering and it takes all my energy from me.   
I hear the clan of witches talking around me. My condition worries them. They want me to heal but I can't do it. It's too hard.   
A familiar voice came to me this morning. Jin has recovered and he's here with me, asking me to open my eyes.   
\- I'm sorry, I should have done more. It was a good oportunity to attack Hye Ri, but I just thought of getting you out of there. - He says. I shake my head because it's not true. She was weak for a moment but it would have been very difficult to go to her and kill her with the weapon the way it should be. It wouldn't have worked.  
\- We still have the chance to find Kai, so you should get well. You have to be strong for him. I'm going back to China and see if I can meet the warriors, okay? -  
This time his words make me look at him and he smiles, but I feel so tired, too weak and absent that I fall asleep just moments later.   
I hear yelling next. It's Jin. They're still in my bedroom and I know he has no problem with the witches, but he does with Ma Ri being here.   
\- Screw you, Ma Ri! It repulses me that you're stepping on the same house where Yoo Hyuk lived. - Jin says.   
\- You don't have to be such a drama queen, Seok Jin. - she replies.   
Ma Ri was the one who told Hye Ri where my mother was hiding with me after my father died and even though Jin blames himself more, he still hates her for the part she played in it. It doesn't help that it was because of aunt Jae Ri that he was turned a vampire. Although he barely remembers. But he has the full memory of confronting Jae Ri after having some clues that led to her.   
Apparently, Jae Ri had no remorse and with amusement she told him how her long time possessive boyfriend, who was a vampire, turned him so she would lose the interest she had in him as a human. The problem was, he didn't only change Jin's life forever, he also killed an innocent person that meant a lot to him. Jae Ri confessed all this one night when she was with her sisters, Ma Ri and Se Ri, who were also laughing.   
\- "It was one of the few nights Hye Ri was not with them. And curiously, it was the night your parents met. " - Jin told me once.   
So Jin really does hate my family, that's why he never mentions how much I look like my mother, he only says what reminds him of my father.   
After the fight, I hear him come to me and telling me he didn't find anything in China. The government already covered what happened at the dock and he can't enter the werewolves' world. It caught my attention that he talked about "the other gate" as if there was another way to enter. But at the end, I only heard parts of what he said because after knowing that he couldn't find anything, I didn't care for the rest.   
More days passed. I think it's been over two weeks now. I lost count. Tonight it's not different. I'm just trying not to dream. I'm cold, I still have a fever. The wound hasn't healed yet.   
A noise startles me awake. The room is dark and empty for the first time. The witches are not with me and I know Jin is not in the house. It's not a good sign. The rumble I hear downstairs can't be a good thing and neither the voices. Especially, since there are growling mixed with the shouting.  
It takes me a while to walk to the staircase and then I see what occurs in the living room.   
\- Stop it! -   
I almost lose my breath from raising my voice. I slowly sit on a step when the wound opens again and I start bleeding. I didn't think I'd have to intervene in a fight between the clan of witches and the warriors' pack again, but here I am.   
I smile when I spot them. Suho, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Sehun, Soo Yeon, Rosé, Hanbin's pack, a young girl I'm not familiar with and an almost recovered Kyungsoo. Hae Ra is with them as well. Her face unreadable like always and she's not even acknowledging Ma Ri's presence.   
Only Kai is missing.  
I bleed more when I think of him and I'm about to faint so Soo Yeon and Rosé come to me. I stop them before they touch me, since my force field has expanded a few centimeters.  
\- Jisoo, you should go back to bed. You're not cured yet. We're going to take care of this ourselves. - Ma Ri haughtily says.   
\- What is going on? - I ask in return, ignoring her comment.   
\- This clan of witches didn't want us to come inside. We didn't think they'd still be here. - Chanyeol explains.   
\- We didn't think you'd come back. - Hyungwon says back.   
The wolves are not in their animal form. They didn't come with the intention of fighting nor did they come with the idea of not being welcomed back. The witches on the other hand, were using their powers already. Bad experiences have taught them to be always on guard.   
\- Of course we were going to come back. We have to find Kai and we knew Jisoo was injured. - Sudo adds.   
\- But look what happened to her when you were on her side. We're here now for her and I know we'll protect her better. - Hyun Woo answers.   
I start to regain strenght from the fury I feel hearing them. I stand up and I can come down the stairs slowly.  
\- What were you trying to do? Deny them entry and hide from me that they came? You know I've been wanting to know where they were. Jin has been looking for them and he even went out today to do that. -   
\- Does that mean Jin is okay? - I hear Soo Yeon ask from behind me but I don't answer.   
I focus on seeing guiltiness written all over their faces. Except on Ma Ri. So I know that's exactly what they were planning to do. I see all the papers scattered on the floor. They seem to be potion recipes and blueprints. Blueprints of the magic world. I notice Minhyuk is holding the weapon. They were studying it.   
My mind replays all the times I felt too tired and sleepy, and I remember the first time Kihyun used his power on me. Then I realize they have been keeping me like this all along.   
They kept me feeling weak and unconscious because I was easier to handle like that. They also want to kill Hye Ri but they want me as the substitute queen. They have their own ideal and plans that don't involve the werewolves and even less Kai. They want him away from me. While they're using me.   
My anger is about to make me explode and then Ma Ri speaks up, looking at me disapprovingly.   
\- You don't have to worry about these werewolves anymore, Jisoo. You're with us now, where you belong. We all know your wolf will be the hybrid Hye Ri was looking for. So you should let him go because you won't be able to change that. -   
In an instant, I put my hand above Hyun Woo's mark and I absorb his power, I take the weapon from Minhyuk and I throw myself to Ma Ri, knocking her down. I place myself on top of her and I point the knife directly to her heart. She looks at me with horror but she screams in pain from my touch, just like how the witches are doing who are not only inside my force field, but are also suffering Hyun Woo's electric power that I'm using against them.   
The werewolves stare at me with surprise because even though they were close to me they're not feeling anything. I'm not hurting them, I'm using the power on the witches only. I'm controlling it with my mind.  
I push the knife a bit more against Ma Ri's skin and she bleeds a little. I know I can't kill her like this since it has to be on her back, but seeing her fear pleases me for the countless times she smiled when she saw me hurt.   
\- And you... say you aren't evil. - Ma Ri can barely speak.   
\- You've no idea what real evil is. - I smile at her and I turn to the witches, who can't even move a finger from the pain. - If you think Hye Ri's age of horror was a living hell that's because you don't know what mine is going to be like, so you better pray Kai is safe. -   
I take my hand to hers and absorb her power, too. The wound on my stomach closes completely and her eyes get bigger when she sees that I had no trouble in healing it. I'm stronger than her.   
Because I have something she doesn't. Kai.   
He's my strenght and I'd do anything for him. I'm no longer worried about my evil side, I'll become more powerful and dangerous. The witches were right after all, I am Hye Ri's only rival.  
I take the weapon away from her at the same time I take her talisman.   
\- If Hye Ri wants this, she's going to have to take it from me. -   
Seeing the object in my hands reminds me of what Hye Ri wants to do with them, her goal of becoming entirely invincible and take over all of the worlds with her hybrids. An idea that came from Hae Ra, that was born in one place.   
A place where it all began. A place where Hye Ri feels protected the most. Her lair, her home.   
\- I know where Kai is. -

 

  
**/Hye Ri/**

Jisoo's talisman keeps glowing. She couldn't understand it. It's impossible she could be doing it when she's so far. Hye Ri had seen her controlling it, the warrior was helping her but, why is it glowing when neither of them is wearing it?   
Has the runaway returned home? After all this time, has Jisoo returned to the magic world?   
It doesn't matter.  
That's what Hye Ri keeps telling herself. It was too late. Even if Jisoo enters here, her beloved dog is part of the experiments already. It was just a matter of time for it to work, she knew because he didn't act the same as the others werewolves did. He's a prince, he's stronger. He's the wolf from the vision. The perfect mix.   
It was funny. Why there are no other mixed creatures yet? They all began with mixes with the humans at some point. Evolution had to come but she didn't have time to wait for it to happen naturally. Therefore, the idea always seemed so exciting to her. Hybrids.   
The talisman glows again and Hye Ri loses concentration once more. Maybe, she shouldn't keep it, maybe she should get rid of it to make Jisoo unable to find it. But... that's not part of the plan.   
The plan?   
Hye Ri's head goes haywire. It was so hard to remember it. There were parts in blank, parts she couldn't fill up. There were things that the voice inside her head didn't say. Things she didn't know. Or couldn't remember.   
Her hands were shaking anxiously. She was about to make it. Everything was going the way she told her, but the glow of the talisman was not supposed to happen.   
Tell me one more time. Repeat the instructions. I can't recall it. Say it again.   
She couldn't take it anymore. She was going to lose her mind.   
Hae Ra... what was the plan? 


	26. Near.

**\- Jisoo. -**

Ma Ri didn't lie when she said there were hundreds of witches willing to fight against Hye Ri. She didn't lie either about how they wanted me as the substitute queen. They say I'm as powerful as she is or more so I would be able to keep our kind.   
I don't get it. It's not supposed to work like that. I think they're just hoping it would be like that. Or maybe they don't care if no more witches with powers are born. Maybe they just want Hye Ri dead.   
It's easy to know considering the condition of our world. I came here for the last time three years ago and it looks so different. There's fog everywhere and the clouds cover every light from the sky. It's darkness. The witches live hidden in their homes, afraid that one day the hybrids will come to drink more. There is not one single witch who was not used to feed them. Yes, people are tired of the hell Hye Ri brought upon them. A hell they believe Hae Ra might continue.   
"Hae Ra has to go for it to work."  
Ma Ri tells me with mellow voice. I know she wants me to kill her, although it has to be after Hye Ri's death. I'm not so sure. I don't like her and her vision was the beginning of everything, but I never wanted to kill her.   
There are those who are against it as well. Those who want the line to continue clean and that Hae Ra inherits the throne. They don't want me here. They don't like that I'm a threat to the heiress.   
One of them came to see me today. A familiar face. Hyeon Sook, who was Se Ri's wife who is still Hye Ri's ally.   
\- Hye Ri knows you're here. She knows werewolves are with you just like that vampire, Seok Jin, too, but she's not leaving her house. She's not even letting the hybrids go out. She really seems to be scared of you. -   
I figured she stopped the hybrids from coming, the werewolves are using my lucky charms to disguised their scent but everyone knows we're here. Hyeon Sook says that she's against Ma Ri and her plans but they all know Hye Ri's ruling is coming to an end.  
I agree with most parts. I don't want to be a queen. That responsibility should be to the one it belongs. I just want to get Kai and kill Hye Ri. That's why I'm here, in front of my cousin.   
\- The vision of Kai and Sun Woo, explain it with more details. - I start with the easiest part because I know that as long as Hye Ri has Kai with her, Hae Ra will believe her vision will come true and she will talk.   
\- Like I said, it was through Sun Woo's eyes. He was staring at Kai, a wolf with powers and a blue glow. I didn't see what was his power but I felt his energy. He was very powerful. They seemed to be... enemies. -  
\- So, there is the chance that Kai won't be under Hye Ri's spell and fight against Sun Woo? - Sehun asks.   
Kai's pack are here with me, minus Soo Yeon, and just like the other times we entered this world, Jin is always by my side. They all want to hear what Hae Ra has to say about it. Hanbin's pack are still training, while Ma Ri and her clan are making potions. They want to make the one which can eliminate powers to use it on Hye Ri.   
We're outdoors, we don't have a place to stay and since we're moving constantly, there is no need. We're going deeper and deeper into the woods of the magic world. Jin has no problem being here because the sun is always convered.   
\- It could be. Perhaps my mother won't be able to put a spell on him. It's difficult to do that to a warrior. - Hae Ra finishes.   
\- Were there more wolves with powers alongside Kai? -   
\- Yes. There were. There will be more. -  
\- Was Hye Ri there? - This is what I want to know more.   
Silence.   
I purse my lips. I don't have that much patience, specially when we're running against time. But I wait for her to speak again.   
\- I... don't know. -   
\- You don't know like you didn't know why Hye Ri was looking for me or this time you really don't know? -   
My tone of voice has changed and my way of speaking is bossy. She doesn't like it. She turns to the place where she knows Suho's standing, hoping for him to intervene and stop the questioning but he stays quiet.   
\- I don't know. I'm not allowed to see years ahead of her future. - she answers when she realizes Suho won't help her.   
I hear murmurs of disbelief from the pack. I agree with them. It sounds ridiculous.  
\- I'm asking if you saw her in Sun Woo and Kai's future, not hers. -  
\- It's the same thing. I'm not allowed to see her future. -   
\- What about the vision of Jisoo finding her first? Wasn't that Hye Ri's future? - Kyungsoo asks.   
\- That vision happened weeks ago. Kai and Sun Woo's was years ago and I can't see that much into her future. -   
\- Give me a break! You could see Hye Ri's life without her knowing you just have to lie and... - Baehyun gets interrupted.   
\- No, I can't. Jisoo is the one who learned to lie and hide her weaknesses, not me. How can I if mine can be found in plain sight? - she turns to me before she continues, - you learned to seperate your real emotions from the false or hidden ones. I just learned to shut it off completely. -   
Her words leave me and the others in total silence. Suho looks sad and the rest are confused. I feel guilty. They can't know what exactly she means by that since they never saw what Hye Ri did to her. The frostbites, the threats and humiliation for being blind. We both suffered abuse but instead of bringing us closer, it drew us apart. I rejected her because she never helped me and it was unfair on my side to have waited for her to have done something when she was just a child like me. And it was unfair to believe her expressionles face was something natural in her.   
But Hae Ra is wrong. I always knew I was different, I always disliked their evil acts, but I didn't learn to show my emotions out of nothing. Kai taught me. He was the first I could show my pain to and then I found Jin, in whom I learned to trust, but Hae Ra... never had anyone by her side. Until now.   
Suho goes to her and hugs her. This is the first time I could actually believe Hea Ra can have feelings and now I know Suho probably can see and sense it. She's his mate, after all.   
The king asks us to leave but I stay in my place. I still have something important to say to her.  
\- You're going to take us to Hye Ri's house. You're the only one who can enter. This is not a request, it's an order. -  
The witches' world is harder to find than the other worlds. You can only enter if you have been here before and Hye Ri's house has a similar protection system that was made thousands of years ago. It makes it impossible to find it once you walk out of the gates. That's why Kai's pack never found it despite them coming to this world to hunt the hybrids.   
Suho and Hae Ra's faces change in a second. It's almost funny to see the same expression because I'm saying something out of line. Hae Ra is not only set to be the next evil witch, she's also the queen of the werewolves and I'm here giving her orders. But I don't care. I want her to know that I'm not playing any games and that a long torture is waiting for her if she doesn't do what I've asked.   
\- Jisoo, I know why we're here, but that's not the way to say... -   
\- I'll do it. - Hae Ra speaks up. - It was in your future, Junmyeon, where I saw that Jisoo will find Hye Ri. And we're both there. -   
Her words instead of calming Suho down, make him uneasy. I think I'm seeing him sweating and his eyes are filled with pain. It's as if he knows something could happen and that he won't be able to stop it.   
This time I walk away and leave them alone. Close by, I find the witches and werewolves on opposite sides. They were waiting for me. These past days, there has been a competition between them to know who can withstand the pain of my power the longest while they help me control it. I don't know why the clan think they can compete against a pack of werewolves who have spent years of training. Yes, the witches suffered and endured the hybrids' bites, but the warriors have killed hundreds of them. I think the witches just feel guilty for keeping me weak.   
\- Are you ready? - I ask Minhyuk and he just nods his head but he's nervous.   
\- Tell me when you feel the pain and try to stop me with your power. - I say once we get in position. - I shall begin. -  
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Raising my hand, I visualize my aura and its blue glow. I don't need to open my eyes to know it's already expanding. But it's not doing it to the sides, only to the front. I lead my force field towards Minhyuk, only him. I open my eyes when it's about to reach him and I lower my hand. I allow my mind to be the force moving it.   
I see a similar aura to mine around him and then it enters through his nose, mouth and eyes. And then he screams. The warriors along with Chanyeol's mate, Leah, the other witches and Jin are there just centimeters away but they don't feel anything. I'm just making Minhyuk feel pain with my eyes.   
He tries to paralyze me and I focus on using his power against him without needing to absorb it. This is harder to do. I start to shake for the effort and I need to use my hands. First I can paralyze his feet, then his hands, and finally the rest of his body.   
I fall to the ground with no energy left. To try to reach my maximum level when I'm away from Kai is too painful and tiring. But I get up to do it again and again until I have nothing left.   
\- It's enough, Jisoo. Let's take a break. - Jin says to me while he kneels beside me.   
I turn to him and I know what he's going to say to make me stop. He knows me so well and I him.  
\- Kai would not like it if you hurt yourself like this. - I smile. I was right.   
But it's precisely for Kai that I'm doing it. I can feel him. I know he's near me. My body and energy are telling me. So I'm using as much magic as I can because I know the talisman can perceive it and even though I'm not sure if he's still wearing it, it's the only way I have to try to make him know I'm here. That I'm looking for him and that I'll go get him. Wherever he is.   
***  
The revolution is about to begin. We're getting near. There are rumors of hybrids who have ran away, there are others who say Hye Ri put more protection in her home.   
I'm almost ready. Every day my heart breaks more, my body and mind hurt, and my power keeps increasing. But my force field does not expand because I control it. I control everything. My two powers. The magical energy coming from me is a lot stronger now, so more witches have come to see me. Witches from both sides.   
But what matters to me now is that I will be able to see Kai soon cause today is the day we're reaching our destiny. The day we'll go to him.   
I smile when I see the cauldron with the black potion in it. The potion the witches have made. It gives off a scent of herbs and a blue fume. Appropriate. Its energy is similar to a witch one and more than a talisman's. Old magic was really more powerful.   
\- How can I know if it works? - I ask with distrust. I don't want to declare victory yet.   
\- We investigated a lot to do this, Jisoo. It's our work of years. - Hyun Woo answers me, but Ma Ri doesn't listen to him and replies to me as well.   
. You can't. You're going to have to trust me. -   
All of us turned to look at her. She has opened her mouth again to say another stupid thing. She has proven me that trust is the last thing I need to put on her. Hyun Woo's words were enough for me and after what they have done I know I can trust them.   
However, I start to laugh for the way I see Ma Ri looking at the potion and then looking at me while she closes her hands.   
\- How can I trust you when you're shaking, trying to hold back your desire of using the potion on me? -   
I feel everyone coming closer to me in case she does exactly that but she stands still.   
\- It's in my blood. I can't help it. You're too powerful and I'm scared of you. It's my survival instinct. - she turns to Hae Ra. - I'm scared of both of you, and she knows what I mean since she also wants to use it with you. -   
I look at Hae Ra and realize Ma Ri is right. But Hae Ra is not acting like Ma Ri and she just answers me with honesty.  
\- I'm not afraid of you. I just wish you didn't have your power so I could see into your future at least once. -   
She talks like every other witch with that kind of power and it doesn't bother me.   
\- It's us, the evil witches, who can feel the energy of the potion this way, as you can see. - Ma Ri adds and I notice how only the three of us are standing five centimeters from the potion while Mi Joo and the other witches are far away. I understand what she means.   
\- Then, I have to get rid of the temptation. -  
I stretch my hand and Jin, carefully, gives me the weapon that also has magic. Ma Ri's eyes get bigger when she sees what I'm about to do and I hear the witches holding their breaths. I let the weapon fall into the cauldron and the liquid sticks to it leaving the container empty in an instant until something similar to blood starts pouring out of it. The blood of the victims.   
The fairy dust it possesses creates a foam when it takes the color of the fume. When it's dry, I take it in my hand, feeling more magic than before. But still, I am more powerful.   
And that's the only thing I think about while we start our journey. We're getting to the center of the magic world. We're getting closer to Hye Ri's house. With every step that leads me there, the more I feel Kai.   
The werewolves get excited and start running with eagerness. They feel him, too. They can smell his scent.   
When we get to a part where the fog is thicker, I know we're in the right place, but I wait for Hae Ra to say something. This is the final test I'm doing to know if she has lied to me again. It doesn't take her long to speak up.   
\- This is it. This is the gate. -  
Hae Ra tocuhes a part of space in thin air and suddenly we're not in the middle of nothing, we're back to the place I never thought I'd be back. I turn behind me and I see the gates from which I entered for the first time eighteen years ago. I turn to everyone who are by my side now. The ones who would fight with me.   
I look at the front again, the imposing house is still several meters away. The walls that kept me locked for so long are as tall as ever. I can't see the place where the cages used to be anymore because there's something else built there now. I swallow hard. It's a laboratory.   
I soon see the hybrids that were hiding in here coming out and the witches who have accepted to fight with Hye Ri or that are under spells.   
And then she comes out. She's wearing her black dress and four different talismans on her neck. The air changes. It's filled with evil and anxiety now.   
She looks at me with her red and yellow eyes, an arrogant expression. She shows herself strong. It's a facade. It's the same I do of hiding under false confidence. I learned it from her. But I'm not faking it this time. I press the weapon harder in my hands and she sees it, just like she sees Ma Ri's talisman on me. She looks at the warriors and Jin, then turns to the other witches and the followers. But above all, she sees my force field expanding and decreasing at my will.   
Again, for a moment, I see her eyes lighting up with the same expression I saw when I got here as a child, the one I confused, the same expression she had when my power expanded for the first time. Fear.   
The first magic blow comes from their side. Towards me. I return it with no trouble to the stupid witch who attacked me but Hye Ri didn't see what happened. Soon, the battle begins.   
The shouting, the howls are mixed with thunder noises. The earth trembles and there's fire everywhere. I don't mind. I jsut have one thing on my mind right now and my feet take me to that place automatically.   
I dodge without raising a finger everyone who gets in my way. I see Hye Ri walking away the closer I get but I pass her by and I enter the house. I don't need to know anything, I just walk to the wooden door of the room where I kept a secret hidden. Where I kept someone.   
I open it and instead of climbing down the stairs in a hurry, I do it slowly. There is no light. Everything is dark. However, I find him here. The person I was looking for.   
When I have him in front of me, my heart breaks.   
It can't be. 


	27. In The Dark.

**\- Kai. -**

I start to shake. I feel the bitter taste of the poison in my mouth when I open it to let out black blood. It's the liquid they inject in me. The experiments are not working. It didn't take my body that long to start acting against the unnatural drug they gave me, it's rejecting it. The doctors can't find a way to make me keep the drug inside me.  
I don't have strength anymore. Between the experiments, the silver and the chains that burn me, being away from Jisoo and everyone I love, being back to a place that fills me with regrets makes so weak to even being able to heal my wounds. At first, I could take it because I could feel the talisman and its energy. I even tried to escape and I would've made it but I went to look for the talisman and I was caught on the second floor of this house.   
I was punished, I didn't care. Nothing hurts more than not having my mate with me. But it made Hye Ri to believe the experiments didn't work because of the talisman and I think she got rid of it or put it someplace far enough for me to not feel it anymore.   
So now I don't have anything that could make me feel better. I'm trapped, crazed in an enclosed space, numb and I can't hear anything. I'm unmoving. I'm so broken I even began to hallucinate. I can not only hear the voices now, I also see the werewolves I killed here with me. It's my conviction.   
But there's something different in the hallucinations. I can perceive the most delicious scent with a mix of cedar. I mentally smile and thank the Gods for the compassion they're showing me today.   
And then... I see her. The silhouette gets visible and the most beautiful woman walks towards me. She comes slowly and I see her hands shaking when she sees me better. She does something, I don't know what, but the cell opens and she enters making the lost souls to disappear. She illuminates the darkness.   
Yes. I thank the Gods because I'm sure I died and an angel has come for me. I thank them because they have decided to forgive me and take me to paradise instead of leaving me in hell.   
It's until she puts her hand on my cheek and hugs me that I realize it's real. It's her. She's really here. She came for me. Jisoo.   
She says something but I can't hear her.   
\- You make my demons disappear. - those are the first words I'm saying in a long time and she starts crying. I can hear that.   
\- Are you okay? What happened with the experiments? What did Hye Ri do to you? -   
\- The experiments are not working. - it's my answer.   
She backs up a little and she notices all the wounds on my body. She bites her lips with anger and pain. I think this is the first in a long time that she's seeing me this hurt and it was precisely in this place where she last saw me eight years ago. Where she thought I died. I was about to this time. It's something she can't take.   
She hugs me again and I feel electricity and heat getting in me. In an instant, I feel a thousand times better. As if there were no more wounds on me. I think it's her touch and scent, or her own energy what's helping me. I don't feel the chains around me and with my arms free the first thing I do is hug her back and kiss her.   
Her lips are warm and full of life. I'm holding in my arms the person I love. The person who saves me. My mate. My senses work better and soon I do not only perceive Jisoo's scent, I also feel the warriors, my family and Hanbin's pack. I smile a smile that does not erase even after getting that burnt oil scent. They're all here.   
Now I realize that Jisoo opened the cell and broke the chains with some kind of telekinesis power. But not only that since I keep feeling a heat that gives me strenght so now I know that she's healing me with that power, and once I started to feel better, my own ability of healing kicked in.   
I'm completely healed in seconds and I shift to my animal form jumping out of the cell and breaking the rest of the silver bars that burn me but that my body can heal this time.   
I turn to Jisoo and she smiles. I go to her and my head is at the same height as her chest. I breathe the jasmin coming from her because in this form I can smell it better. She pats my head and neck, noting that her talisman is no longer with me but she doesn't say anything. I look at her in the eye. Her blue eyes are mesmerizing.  
\- It's time to fight again, Kai. Let's kill the hybrids, let's kill Hye Ri. And then, you have to find me. -   
Her words get stuck in my head. I have only one purpose. She walks and I follow her. It's time for me to do what I do best. I'm a warrior. I'm a prince. And I'm the mate of a witch who would do anything to protect her.

 

**\- Jisoo. -**

It was traumatic to see Kai in that place again. Seeing him locked up as if he got stuck in time, as if things didn't change. It was painful to see his wounds because I got used to know he could heal himself. But I felt a relief when I discovered he was still him. That he wasn't a hybrid.   
We walk out of the door and I let him digest the scene of the battle taking place in front of us. Witches fighting against witches. Werewolves against hybrids. A vampire that vanishes from side to side, breaking hybrids' neck and draining the blood out of the witches. Six warriors that fight with no mercy and killing hybrids in an instant.  
But in the middle of everything, in the dark, a witch stands surrounded with fire and ice. The witch who's making a thunderstorm and shaking the earth. The witch whose angry expression falls when she sees Kai and me together.   
I smile her my evil smile because she still has not seen my other power clearly and she's already scared. The warriors come to Kai when they see him, I know they're happy to find him safe. However, there is no time for greetings. Kai launches himself to Hye Ri.   
When the hybrids see us, led by Sun Woo, they come to us but they can't take more than three step forward when I make them fall to the ground feeling pain. Hye Ri orders them to endure it and the spell they're under force them to get up.   
They make a wall of protection in front of the evil witch but it's not an impediment to Kai, who jumps over some of them and breaks others' neck. He reaches to her place and hurts her with his claws, just like he did last time.   
Hye Ri screams in anger and the earth trembles more beneath our feet. She makes gust of winds so strong that some of us fall to the ground. The storm gets thicker, it's almost impossible to see. Her fire expands and burns the hybrids next to her, as well as some witches. She didn't care that they were on her side.   
Mi Joo tries to stop the rain with her own power but she's not so strong. Hyungwon tries to stop the earthquakes, while Wonho tries to melt the ice Hye Ri throws but neither can surpass her power.   
I make every enemy feel unbearable pain but their spell doesn't allow them to stop fighting. They scream for all kinds of pain they're feeling but can't stop attacking. Then I throw some to the other side of the gates with Changkyun's power.   
Until now, other than Hye Ri, there haven't been any witch trying to attack me with their powers. Only hybrids are coming to me to try to take the weapon from my hand. She sends fire and ice to my direction in every opportunity but I'm protected with my force field and she can barely touch me with that. She needs another power, that she doesn't have.   
In a way, the witches fighting with me are in a disadvantage. Hye Ri have always kept the witches with better powers beside her and in her allies, there's a witch whose power is to create illusions. And Hyeon Sook, who can make you forget all of your memories.   
After putting to sleep some hybrids and witches, Kihyun's memories get erased. The same happens to other withches just like with Chanwoo and Bobby. The witch creates a painful illusion to the rest of Hanbin's pack and to Soo Yeon.   
Jin goes to Soo Yeon and leaves her alone when the warriors get to her so he insteads hunts the witch responsible for it and bites her from the neck to her shoulder. He drinks all of her blood in one second, leaving her with nothing. He killed her.   
This makes the affected by her power to go back to normal. I hurry in returning Hyeon Sook's power to her, erasing all her memories and giving back the lost ones to those she attacked. I see a witch with a similar power to Hyun Woo's attacking Hana, which makes the clan angry but they don't have to save her because I return the favor with his power and he cries in pain.   
\- You can't fight this one, Hana. Go to Rosé and Hae Ra... - I stop myself when I notice Hae Ra is not in the place Suho asked her to stay.   
I heard them talking before we got here and she was supposed to stay aside from everything. She doesn't have a power to fight and her blindness is a disadvantage, although I doubt she's in danger since the hybrids won't attack her, neither will the witches. At least not until Hye Ri dies.   
But it worries me she's on Hye Ri's side and helps her some way. However, I realize the evil witch is still alone.   
Suddenly, the witch who attacked Hana attacks me along with another one. They combine their powers creating an electric chain which they use to tie my hands. The pain paralyzes me and I let out a cry, and then another cry can be heard that comes from one of the witches when he gets attacked by Kai.   
He rips off his face with one bite and lets him bleeding out to death. I see his eyes are unfocused but I know he's not out of control because he's only going after the enemies. He's only going after the people I ordered him to. Nonetheless, Kai will also kill anyone who hurts me. There's no doubt about it.   
Hye Ri tries to use this opportunity to throw fire to me and since I'm not aware, I feel the burn. Again, Kai goes to her but is difficult to go through her fire.   
I turn to the other witch and look at him directly in the eye. He was so stupid to believe I needed my hands to return his power when all I need is my mind. I electrocute him and at the same time I inflict him pain, that by his expression I can guess he feels all of his bones breaking. He passes out from the pain in five seconds.   
The warriors are still fighting. They're physically ten times stronger than the witches and still a lot more than the hybrids. Fighitng against them is not an easy job. Specially, because they do it as a team.   
Suho chases the hybrids, Baekhyun corners them, Chanyeol beats them to death. While Kyungsoo and Sehun open the witches who are Hye Ri's allies from head to toe. Although, majority of the witches are afraid of them, just like they are of me.   
Lastly, Kai kills every enemy that gets in his way. This is the final competition and he was always the victor.   
\- We have to kill Sun Woo! - I hear Jin screaming to the warriors when he realizes the witch holds a gun. He's trying to shoot me the antidote.   
The wolves remember it and concentrate in catching him, but the always coward dodges them using others as protection and runs away until he crosses the gates. He leaves the gun behind and the warriors destroy it.   
Hye Ri is still using her powers against me and I make her feel pain everytime she attacks me. I try to return her powers but is harder to get her like that. But this time, she does see when a witch who comes in my way to try to weaken my power since that's his and I use it against him instead.   
Her expression changes when she finally understands what I've been doing and the fact that I know her so well birings to me the thought of my talisman that I have no idea where it is. This was the reason why I wanted to have it in the first place, because even before seeing it, I knew Hye Ri was going to do what she does. Bewitch.   
I was her main target but the spell does not reach me because I knew it was coming and close my eyes right before. Those who turn to her, attracted by her voice, are Hyun Woo, Changkyun, Jooheon and Hanbin. The witches begin fighting against us, but Hanbin begins to act exactly like the cursed wolves she had as pets.   
When Kai sees him, I think he's going to attack him for the hypnosis he's under when he fights but he doesn't. He goes to the hybrids who were planning to take advantage of Hanbin's condition.   
\- Give me my talisman! I'll protect us all from spells and curses. - Ma Ri screams at me while she heals the wounds of her clan and I hesitate when I see Hye Ri smiling. I know this is what she wants.   
Only Hye Ri's necklace glows but she's wearing all because she only needs one to inherit her mother's power. But I end up accepting to give it back after seeing Hanbin suffering from a spell. And then I hear familiar words ringing in the dark.   
\- With the moon as my witness... -   
I run to the opposite side and shut my eyes. When I open them again, there's total silence. I turn around me and almost everyone are unmoving. Hye Ri managed to catch the attention of all of Hanbin's pack and the rest of the clan. Hana and Rosé, too. The damaged people soon fall to the ground and begin to shake uncontrollably, while they sob in pain.   
Including me, Ma Ri and the warriors and are the only ones she couldn't curse. I was protected mostly by Ma Ri's talisman since she controls the power in it and can save me if I'm wearing it. But she needed to have it on her to protect the rest.   
The warriors come to me, with Kai stopping right before me. We are now in a clear disadvantage and the enemies outnumber us. I see Kyungsoo looking for Soo Yeon while he tries to lick the tears on Rosé's face. Suho looks for Hae Ra. Chanyeol tries to help his mate, Leah, who was also cursed.   
I look for Jin and I see him far away with Soo Yeon. He vanished before Hye Ri said the curse and took Soo Yeon with him.   
\- Give me the necklace! - Ma Ri screams again but I can't do what she says because Hye Ri puts a spell on her. She puts her to sleep.   
Before I can do anything, Kai goes to Hye Ri and she uses her favorite punishment with him. Burning him inside out.   
I watch him spit out blood and his howls of pain kill me. I fall on my knees at the same time he falls. This is my weak moment and the enemies take the chance.   
When the hybrids note that they no longer feel my power, they attack the witches and cursed wolves with more accuracy. I hear screams of pain everywhere but for now I just want to get to Kai, even though Hye Ri keeps burning me with fire. I don't care. Soo Yeon comes behind me.   
Kai's pack run as well but the first person who reach there is Hae Ra. I tense up when I see her, even more when she places her hand on Kai's head. But that's all she does. The pack get there and Suho leads Hae Ra away before he comes back to the hurt warrior. She walks like a ghost in an all black dress. Nobody touches her, nobody attacks her.   
But before I get to that place, a explosion throws me and Soo Yeon backwards. The weapon slips out of my hand. I can barely see a hole in the earth opening and swallows Soo Yeon, along with Jin. The evil witch has buried them.  
Feeling numb, everything stops in me when I understand the explosion came from the place the warriors were. I know they won't die, but I know they were deeply harmed.  
\- Give up, Jisoo! You can't fight me. Give me the talisman and everything will be over. - Hye Ri screams while she laughs since it looks as if now I'm alone against hundreds of hybrids and bewitched witches.   
I've had enough.   
I turn to the evil witch and I clench my fists. She notices the change in me. It's like if for a reason, I was not allowing my all to go out and it's true. I was still afraid of hurting those I love but I can't take it anymore. I get up and I take a deep breath. My force field expands. A kilometer. This is the longest distance it has ever done. With more power. I'm not worrying about anyone and I leave them all instantly unconscious. Defeated.   
My force field even touches Hye Ri and she's thrown to a tree. She passes out. I take this moment to go to the place where Kai was. There's a lot of smoke and darkness, and in the still moving earth, I can barely see.   
Then I feel hot when her fire touches me. I return it with double of pain and she yells, then she comes to me. I walk away to look for the weapon. It's time to kill her and finish everything.   
She uses ice next and cuts me with it. I heal the wounds using Ma Ri's power that I absorbed earlier. I launch her to the trees again and against a wall. She uses more fire and keeps walking towards me. I keep expanding my power and she weakens but does not stop.   
She comes and tries to take off the talisman and I grab her hands. The fire can't burn me like this but she does feel my pain. I start to feel water around me and it's not from the rain. It's water I feel inside me. She's filling up my body to drown me.   
I put my hand on her wrist at the same time she breaks the necklace and takes Ma Ri's talisman. Then I push her off of me by making an explosion and she lets go of the talisman. I absorbed her power and her eyes get bigger when she realizes it. I put a wall of fire now surrounding me, I stop the rain and the earthquakes.   
She jumps to me and I let her do it because I focus on doing what she did earlier. I break the necklaces. She yells more this time when she loses them. Witches like us, once we lose our own talisman, it's very difficult to find them again. Somebody else has to do it for us.   
So her fury increases when she can't find her talisman. "You lost mine, evil witch" I say in my mind. I look at her with arrogance but something blue behind her gets my attention. The weapon.   
And then her expression changes. She's ready to get rid of me. She wants to burn me from inside.   
Suddenly, six beasts land between us. Six wolves who stand strong, showing wounds of burns that are almost entirely healed. The warriors of the legends. Immortals and invincibles. The warriors who the other creatures are afraid of. Even the evil witch. Six warriors who corner her. They put themselves in front of me as protection and now she's the one outnumbered.   
She glances the objects scattered on the ground, the other talismans, hiwever, she doesn't have time to go to them because the warriors do it faster. They take the necklaces with their mouths and throw them out of the house, far away. Now, Hye Ri won't be able to find her talisman.   
\- You fucking dirty dogs! - she says through gritted teeth.   
In her distraction, she doesn't see me running to the weapon. It's until she has me close when she notices. But it's too late.   
I stab her in the back, directly to her heart. A spark of red comes from her. It's the potion working its magic, starting to eliminate the power of the evil witch.   
She falls to her knees. She tries to use her powers that she doesn't have with her anymore. Tears roll down on her cheeks when reality hits her. She has become what she hated the most. A powerless witch. Someone weak.   
She crawls, trying to get away, but there's no way to escape. I twist the knife over. Blood comes out of her mouth, nose, ears and from the wound. I remember the day she killed my mother. I didn't see what happened, I just found Woo Ri bleeding out, just like the way Hye Ri is doing right now. Her breathing slows down, until finally, she gives her last breath.   
She died.   
One by one, the wolves begin to wake up from the spell and the others are free from the curse. Kyungsoo goes to Rosé and Chanyeol towards Leah.   
The witches realize what happened and the ones on our side shout my name and call me the new queen. Ma Ri also wakes up and comes to her sister's unmoving body to check if she's really dead.   
I open the place on the ground where Jin and Soo Yeon were buried and they come out. Jin looks as if he didn't breathe at all while Soo Yeon doesn't look hurt. He must have protected her and give her air.   
Then Kai comes slowly to me. He puts his nose on my hand. He found me. I pat his head and he shifts in my arms again.   
\- They're gone. - he tells me with a trembling voice.   
\- Who? - I ask him, although I think I know.   
\- The voices. They're gone. -   
I feel tears in my eyes when I hear him. Yes. The evil it's gone. It's over. However, there's something bothering me. Something that makes me nervous and Kai can sense it, just like the rest of the warriors.  
The hybrids.   
They're not moving. I don't understand. Their reverie should be over now but it doesn't look like it. If Hye Ri is dead, why are they acting like this?   
A thought comes to me and I turn to Suho.   
\- Where's Hae Ra... ? - I don't finish the question because that's the moment someone takes the weapon from my hand so quickly that I don't have time to react.   
Someone dressed in black that hurries to the person who's stll bending over He Ri and stabs her in the back without mercy. Killing her.   
Silence falls among us and we freeze. Not the hybrids. They start to move and make a circle around the person who just killed Ma Ri. They protect the witch who was really behind their spell. Their real owner. Hae Ra.   
The new evil witch holds the weapon and she stares at my direction. While her white eyes glow in the dark. 


	28. Chapter 28

**\- Jisoo. -**

\- "Aren't you worried that she, just like you, inherited her mother's power? The power to bewitch?"  
Ma Ri's words ring in my head while I stare at her dead body on the ground by the feet of her killer. A witch surrounded by hybrids ready to protect her. Ma Ri was always right.  
Silence breaks with Kai's growling. He has shifted again. He doesn't like what he's seeing. He doesn't like that Hae Ra stands in front of me holding the magical knife and with hybrids by her side. He gets in between us. But that's the only noise because Ma Ri's clan of witches can't mutter any words. Maybe for the shock or because they know they can't confront the new evil witch.  
I still don't know whether I should move or not. I don't even know if I should use my power against her because until now she hasn't done anything.  
Suho is the first to move and goes slowly to his mate whom he already claimed as queen of his people. The hybrids stop him short and he growls with regret, as if he knew something was wrong from the beginning.  
And then a thud noise is heard. It's the weapon Hae Ra has tossed on the ground. Not with the intention of hurting me, but to give it back to me.  
\- Am I supossed to say I'm sorry? - she says while she turns to the clan. - Everyone here knows she wanted me dead. I just killed her first. -  
Her words sound like always. With no emotion. With nothing. The witches don't dare to speak, many of them still don't know what exactly happened. I have a more clear idea.  
\- This was your plan, wasn't it? From the start, the experiments and the creation of the hybrids, it was your plan. It was your vision, it was all yours. - I firmly say. I don't have doubts it was like that.  
\- Of course. - she answers me with no hesitation. - Do you think Hye Ri was that smart? Sure, she liked the idea of the mixed creatures but it was me who organized everything. I had to do it, after all, I'm too weak to take care of myself. - she finishes her words staring at the place her mother's dead body lays.  
\- What did you do? Did you... put a spell on her? - I hear the werewolves holding their breath and I feel the tension. Jin does so as well and he stands next to me, still near to Soo Yeon.  
\- You knew her. You know how she was. She called me weak for being blind as if she wasn't the reason I was born like this in the first place. As if it wasn't her own weakness I was her only surviving child and I was not completely healthy like she wanted. She called me weak and didn't even bother to know if I got her ability. I practiced in front of the mirror countless of times and everytime the mirror broke with more intensity than the last, I filled with pride. When I had the vision of your wolf, I knew I was ready and did it. I put a spell on her and ordered her to create the hybrids, starting with the vampires. Then I ordered her to bewitch them in my name, so they would work for her but it would be me they would obey at the end. That's it. -  
I loot at every hybrid that are with her after listening to her. Their body language, their eyes in general give the clue of bieng under a powerful spell. Hae Ra was stronger than Hye Ri.  
\- You let her do the dirty work while you sat back and waited. Then, was it you who ordered Hye Ri to capture Kai? - my voice is bitter and angry.  
She turns to the black wolf who has not moved at all.  
\- You have no idea how lethal that perfect mix will be. I did want him on my side. -  
\- Come near him again and I swear I will kill you... -  
\- Come with me. - she interrupts me. I stay quiet, surprised by her words so she takes the time to turn to the place she knows the other witches are standing. Even Rosé. - The talismans were lost and their owners are all dead, they won't work anymore. And I don't have mine, so there won't be no more curses. No more attacks from the hybrids. No more wars. I'm the heiress and your new evil witch. -  
The witches on Hye Ri's side don't have to think it twice to go stand behind her as a proof of their loyalty. Ma Ri's clan hesitate but one by one start going there. Hyungwon and a very hurt Hana walk holding hands as the decision they've made together as a couple. Mi Joo walks without turning back to see Jin. Hyun Woo, Minhyuk and Wonho are the last to do it and look at me feeling sorry.  
Hae Ra waits for Rose's reply but she doesn't move, she comes closer to the wolf beside her. Kyungsoo.  
\- Come with us, Jisoo. I still need the most powerful witch as part of my people. -  
Now it's the werewolves waiting for an answer. I feel their eyes on me, specially Sehun and Baekhyun, who I know will be ready to hate me to death if I decide to go. Kai turns around and looks at me with sad eyes. He rest his head on my chest again. If I choose to go, he won't stop me, but he's still asking me to stay with him. As if I would ever leave him.  
I stare at his eyes and smile at him, reassuring him I'm not going anywhere. My voice is clear and loud when I answer Hae Ra.  
\- This place was never my home and neither of you were my family. -  
Hae Ra nods to my words and walks to me, putting her hand again on Kai.  
\- Sun Woo escaped. The vision will come true, but... - she comes closer, without tocuhing me and whispers something in my ear. Something that gets stuck in my head while she moves away, passing by the weapon she's leaving on the ground. It's her way of telling me she won't come for me.  
Kai doesn't take as a bad thing that she was near me because he can know that I'm not scared, that I'm actually feeling the opposite. Hae Ra starts to walk away with all her people behind her but she does't go far until someone gets in her way. A wolf in his human form.  
\- The vision you had about your death, was it a lie? Was it a lie so you could manipulate me and come close to Kai? - the king's voice is painful and I don't blame him. What Hae Ra said tonight gives the impression of being exactly what he's asking. She shakes her head.  
\- When I met you and had that vision, I tried to put a spell on you to make you my ally but since you're a warrior I only ended up cursing you. I didn't like what I saw in your future but when I got tired of waiting for Hye Ri to die and you found me, I decided to accept it. Until I saw how powerful Jisoo really is and that she could really take what is rightfully mine. -  
\- But you... I... - Suho can't finish his words from the pain of knowing Hae Ra is about to leave him. He hugs her and holds her close while the wolves prepare themselves to go get him because they know what's going to happen.  
\- Junmyeon, you know that we, that "us" can't happen. You're the king of the werewolves and I'm a witch. And now, I refuse to accept the future I saw through your eyes. Besides, we have responsibilities to fulfill.-  
\- But we belong together. -  
\- I reject you. -  
Suho falls to his knees holding Hae Ra's waist when he hears those words. The warriors run there, Baekhyun and Chanyeol shifting to their human form to take Suho away from Hae Ra without hurting neither of them.  
I see the hybrids trying to intervene but Hae Ra stops them and it's her who lets go of him. Her hands are shaking. She continues walking to the house, putting more distance between her and Suho while his pack try to prevent him from moving.  
\- She rejected you. You can't force her to stay with you. - Chanyeol and Baekhyun tell him. The others stay on him, immobilizing him completely.  
Hae Ra and the witches reach the doors of the house and she turns to me facing down, as if she wants to hide her face. Her voice cracks when she speaks.  
\- Kim Jisoo, you are exiled from the witches' world. -  
And then everything disappears. There is no house and not a single wall. Only trees and fog.  
Suho lets out a scream that makes the wolves howl, Jin and Rosé shiver, and it makes me teary eyed because even though I'm not like them, I'm able to feel the pain in the king's voice. I'm able to feel it and understand it because I have a mate and I know what it is to lose him.  
But there's nothing he or anyone can do because this is the end and now it's only us here, in the dark.

 

  
**2 months later.**  
**\- Kai. -**

The house we enter is huge although we're still reconstructing it. The noise of a full place it's something I'm used to by now, after all, we've spent big parts of our lives sharing a home. I think it'd be more weird to us not being together.  
\- Prince, more people have come and they want to know when you're going to train them. - Hanbin says to me when I go through the door.  
\- Tell them we will start tomorrow. - I answer. He and his pack smile at me. They go happy because they know I'm going to need their help. They're followers, they're warriors.  
I smile nervously once they leave. I'm still learning to not lose all control when fighting, always with Jisoo's help and with the fact that I recognize almost everyone now, but I still feel uneasy training mortal wolves. Still, ever since the news of the death of the former evil witch and that her heiress won't start a war, more and more werewolves that ran away have returned. Many are part of my home town and they want me to train them.  
The people from Kyungsoo and Soo Yeon's home are happy to meet their soon-to-be prince's wife, while they're a bit sad their princess has reached the age warriors usually matured, 22, and is not immortal yet. Although I don't think they're as sad she is. But we love it. We wish she would stay as the little girl we still see her as.  
On the other hand, there were no more people from Chanyeol's home but his mate, Leah, comes from a big family who didn't have a place to call their own so he's happy to welcome them and call them his people. They have been coming these past days. Leah is a nice girl with a lot of knowledge of many cultures and a lot of languages. Chanyeol promised to take her to travel the worlds and introduce her to all of the kings. A dream she always had.  
People from Baekhyun and Sehun's home have been returning as well. They're both being pressured to find their mates and have heirs. Baekhyun just smiles awkwardly everytime they mention it. Sehun says nothing at all. He doesn't have the courage to look at them and say he hasn't found her. He's always been a terrible liar.  
My people put pressure on me too but I don't listen to them. My father felt like that and it was what ruined everything. I won't do that to my children. They'll come when they have to come. My people love Jisoo. I was never afraid they wouldn't accept her, first because they can't, and second because I wouldn't have cared for their opinions. But even though they know who she is, they also know what she did. They know she's our savior.  
And Suho...  
I take a deep breath when I think of him and I find him right in front of Jisoo and the other princesses in the backyard. His hair is messy and wears dirty clothes.  
\- Why can't you take me with her? - his voice shakes while he stares at my mate.  
She turns to me before she answers him.  
\- I was exiled. It means I can't find that world anymore, none of you can. -  
Now that Hae Ra is the new evil witch, she dictates the rules of her kingdom, so I won't be able to find that world like I did before because it was Hye Ri's "house" where I was in. And like Jisoo said, she was exiled, so the witches' world is now closed for us.  
\- But then how can I find her? - he says again.  
Baekhyun and Kyungsoo go to him to take him back to his bedroom while he murmurs that she left him.  
\- Chanyeol, you were supposed to take care of him. - Baekhyun scolds him when he comes back.  
Kyungsoo, Sehun, Baekhyun and I left our world this morning to do something important so Chanyeol stayed with Suho.  
The king has been living like this for two months, he can't sleep or eat. He barely leaves his bed. He just gets up to try to go find his mate, he just thinks of her. These are the symptoms of the mark he left on her. But not only his suffering is a problem. Suho now will only be allowed to take a "mistress" to have heirs with her because our queen is still Hae Ra. Even if she rejected him.  
Little by little, I have been remembering things that happened that night but his cry of pain when she left is something I never forgot. We have been helping him through this all situation but he's the one who has to move on from it. He will always feel a piece missing in him but he would learn to live with it.  
When Suho leaves, Kyungsoo walks away with Rosé and Chanyeol takes Leah to their bedroom to be alone. Sehun, Baekhyun and Soo Yeon decide to train a little. Again, I notice the somber expression in the princess' face. She's been like this since we returned and we thought it was because she hasn't matured yet but Jisoo said it was for something else.  
When I'm left alone with my mate, I can't help but wish we're always like this. Alone. I like living with the pack but I can't wait to have more privacy, in a place only for her and me.  
\- Where were you? - she asks me with a naughty smile.  
\- It's a surprise. - I answer her smile.  
I hug her and kiss her when I'm in front of her and my inner wolf fills with joy and pleasure. She makes everything better, always. I'm dying to show her what I found and see her eyes light up in that blue tone. But those thoughts come with more improper ones and with no more time to lose, I take her in my arms to our bedroom.  
I'm still not capable of controlling my desire when I have her near. The sensation of being with her, inside her, it's too addictive. I can't resist it.  
After a few hours, when we have satisfied ourselves and we're lying in our bed that smells like jasmin and cedar, I remember the object I wanted to give her. However, I see her worried expression and it makes me forget everything else.  
\- What's wrong? Do you still feel a little out of place? - I ask.  
Jisoo was excited at first to come with to live with me to this world but she was overwhelmed by the warmth with which my people welcomed her. She's not used to that much amability.  
\- It's not that. The other princesses have been helping me, specially Soo Yeon... -  
She gets lost in her thoughts and I wait for her to continue.  
\- It's just that I'm worried about Jin. He asked over and over to go visit him frequently and now I can barely communicate with him. He says he's busy. -  
I sigh in relief. Jin also asked me to take Jisoo to the human world so they could see each other often and it'a pity vampires can't enter our wolrd for the bad luck they bring because I'm sure we would be okay having him here every now and then.  
\- We can go visit him whenever you want to. - I answer honestly and her face lights up.  
This is what I like to do the most. To make her happy, even more when it's little things ike this. She smiles so often when she's with me and with the pack. She doesn't have more sorrow or pain. She doesn't have anyone chasing after her. She won't have to run away ever again.  
\- And, what is the surprise you have for me? - Jisoo says.  
This time I definitely anticipate her reaction when she sees it. I take my pants from the ground and I look in the pockets. When I get the objetc in my hands, I can already see the changing expression in Jisoo when she feels it.  
\- I found it. It took me two months but I found it. - I show her the blue talisman.  
I didn't stop the search. I know that together with the pack we got rid of the other talismans but Hye Ri hid this one and I had to find it. I did it once and I knew I could do it again.  
She touches it slowly, amazed by the fact that it's here. Her eyes are glued to the object, hypnotized by the energy coming from it that I can also feel. But instead of wearing it, she puts it on me.  
\- I thought I needed it to beat Hye Ri but I didn't. Now, I want you to have it. - she whispers in my ear and suddenly a picture spreads in my head that makes Jisoo frown. She asks me what it is.  
\- I just had another memory of that night. Hae Ra said something to you in your ear related to me. -  
This time the happiness in her face is something I've never seen before and I stay still, completely lost in that smile that takes my breath away. She's so beautiful.  
\- Yes. - she's still smiling. - She told me Sun Woo ran away and that her vision will come true. That a wolf that looks like you and has my blue glow will exist. -  
\- And why would that make you happy? - I ask but I'm already smiling with her.  
\- Because she said she couldn't see your future when she touched you. She didn't see anything. The mark I put on you when we were younger made you like me and she can't see anything in you. Which means the person she saw in that vision... it's not you. -  
It takes me a while to understand and process her words but when I do it my smile widens as much as hers. This is the best news someone has ever given me. Yes, I really don't have to feel pressured. He will come when he has to. Maybe years from now, maybe just a few months, but the perfect mix of a werewolf and a witch is still about to be born.  
My hands shake a little when I put them on her warm skin knowing what I do now. I look at her and her eyes are blue yet again. From happiness or excitement. Maybe just from peacefulness. I lean over to kiss her again but she places her fingers on my lips.  
\- It's time to practice. I want to hear it. -  
\- Why is it so important to for me to learn to be able to do that? With controlling myself when fighting is more than enough. Besides, it's your mark and... -  
\- Nice try. After all I've read, do you think you can fool me? The mark is indelible. Nothing will happen. You said you like hearing it from my lips but if you want me to say it, you have to say it first. -  
I'm defeated by her again. Partly by her knowledge of my species. Maybe I should learn more about witches and how to win an argument against them. So far all I learned new was that a connection between a cursed one and the witch happens only after the victim accepts the curse as part of their lives. Something I almost did when I started to smile at her without her orders.  
I see her expecting eyes and it takes me back. Now I only have good memories ever since the voices disappeared. To be more exact, when I accepted the voices were not real and it was only my guilty conscience what haunted me. Ever since I started to be able to sleep inside four walls. When I accepted there were not two different parts of me. Just one. I'm Kai, a wolf Jisoo marked, but I also have another name.  
\- My name is Jongin. -

**.**  
**.**  
**.**  
**.**  
**.**  
**.**

.  
**Two months prior.**  
**\- Jin. -**

I never thought seeing Jisoo leave home would be so difficult. I was so used to have her with me and now that she left with Kai and the pack I feel I lost a part of me.  
Although...  
No! Do not go there.  
My rational side scolds me for the thoughts I'm having while I remember the last person that said goodbye to me when the wolves were leaving. A person that smells so good that my mouth is watering. A person I had to bite my tongue and clench my fits while she hugged me to not hold her back. A person that left me with the desire of taste...  
_I told you to stop._  
I focus on going back in the dark house that is now empty. This palce was always like this. There were never more than ten people until the volves got here and now it's just me again. I have to get used to the idea. It's inevitable. To be who I am, to be forever young while others get older or die, it's something it doesn't even bother me anymore.  
I go from room to room turning off every light and leaving everything in darkness. All of a sudden, a weird noise in one bedroom catches my attention. I vanish and appear in that place within a second. I don't have to know who the six pair of red eyes are.  
\- I thought the werewolves would never leave. - Yoongi complains.  
\- Yeah, it took all of me to not go see them cause they all smell really nice. - Teahyung smiles.  
\- Jin, where is Jisoo going? Is she not going to live with you anymore? - Jungkook asks with curiosity.  
\- Do you have something to eat, Jin? These past days have been chaotic and I couldn't even drink blood. - Jimin also asks me.  
\- Really these days you took a break were something else, but, I thought you only took days off on your wife's death anniversary. - Hoseok adds.  
Those were a lot of questions and comments that I don't know what to answer first, so I just ask back.  
\- What are you doing here? -  
\- We have work to do. We came for you. - Namjoon says and puts his hand on my arm.  
We appear in a different place. A place far away from home. But it's chaos. People in the organization run from side to side, vanishing and appearing everywhere.  
\- There were sightings of them in London. - says one.  
\- Also in America. - says another.  
But I focus on the woman in the second floor with a terrified face. I've seen the Boss nervous, angry and even sad, but I have never seen her scared.  
\- What happened? - my voice can be barely heard because I already know the answer before I hear it.  
\- The vault was opened. The demons escaped. -

*******


End file.
